Stolen Heart
by aspire2write
Summary: Captain Edward Cullen was serving his country. He had a plan - lead his team of Green Beret soldiers on this mission to stop a terrorist, finish his tour, and decide what was next: leave the Army or sign up for more. The new doctor on base wasn't part of the plan. Romance wasn't anywhere on his radar, but she may just steal his heart. Expansion of one-shot: Christmas Magic.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

It had been hours since the sky darkened, but the activity on the dusty street had increased in the last thirty minutes. I'd watched four different men pass by, hurrying into the adjacent building from where we were camped out. Each arrived separately, scurrying by with their head down, only looking around seconds before darting into the doorway undetected. At least they thought they were undetected. My team had been here for the last twenty-two hours waiting for this moment.

The intelligence group had intercepted communication last week while monitoring local radio chatter indicating Jamil Amari would be in attendance tonight. Amari was the leader of a large terror cell operating out of Iraq, and we'd been trying to capture him for two years. Once the chatter was confirmed, my team was brought in, Alpha Company of the 1st Battalion, Army Special Forces. The hope was that this mission would give us confirmation of his location and the intel needed to arrange his capture. Though the intel was able to obtain details about the meeting location and attendees, the reason for the meeting remained a mystery. Therefore, reconnaissance was the goal of this mission. If an attack was imminent, we needed the details.

The meeting was set for an abandoned apartment building in an old town square just southeast of the Baghdad city center. I was familiar with the area. This was my third tour in Iraq since becoming Captain of Alpha Company. My training made me well prepared for this region. I spent months learning about the people, the culture, the terrain, everything that may be helpful. Then once I arrived, I spent time in the region mingling with the people, learning about this place from those that knew it best. Some I considered acquaintances, but I couldn't call them friends. I didn't have that luxury. There was always the possibility they could be the next person my team was tasked to neutralize.

This particular apartment building had been hit by an IED less than ten months ago. The improvised explosive device was meant for American soldiers passing through the street, but the aim was off. The IED landed in an apartment on the first floor. The explosion killed six and leveled a good portion of the building. With no money to repair the structure, it lay dormant. Until tonight.

"Cap," my medic, Michael Newton, whispered nearby. "I've got audio recording." I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Video is recording," Second Lieutenant Jasper Whitlock, my right-hand man confirmed. He'd placed cameras within the building hours before. We needed visual confirmation that Amari was here.

"Steady, boys," I said quietly. "This is just recon. We'll get him another day."

This was a routine mission; one we could do in our sleep. Go in undetected, set up the equipment, 24-hour surveillance, then back to base. This was simple. Newton was on comms, his mastery of the dialect making him our interpreter. I didn't need a play-by-play, but his job for now was to make sure no one in the meeting was any wiser to our equipment or our presence.

The meeting began on time, and if the intel could be trusted, this would be over in less than an hour. The cell didn't particularly like being gathered in one place for too long, which made them prone to target. As a man quieted everyone in the room, we watched the video feed as Amari strolled inside. Relief filled me. This mission was now a success. Everything else we got would be icing on the cake. Amari began to speak, and not two minutes in, Newton cursed.

"We've been made," he said, dread filling me for only a second before I gained control of my emotions, and we jumped into action. Equipment was disassembled and packed away. Within minutes, we were on the move.

"What the fuck happened?" I asked as we hurried down the stairs.

"I don't know. They must not know about the surveillance, because he just said American soldiers were next door and they'd take us out."

Quickly and quietly we stepped outside and headed in the opposite direction of the apartment building. We were low in numbers and low in ammo having only packed a contingency of weapons seeing as the mission was stealth, not force. We would be fine though. This is what we trained for, why we were considered the elite. Just as we were about to leave the square, gunfire erupted behind us.

"Take cover!" I yelled at my team. We dove behind what looked like two abandoned cars as the slap of bullets against the metal reverberated around us. "Whitlock, how many we got?" I used the scope of my gun to look for other hostiles that may be waiting for us in the direction we were heading, but luckily, it was clear.

"Looks like five on the street and one on the roof - southeast corner," he answered after looking around. Jasper had a sharp eye. He saw all. Six tangos. That was more than doable since there were six of us. We just had to draw them out.

"Okay. So we - ahhh!" A searing pain erupted in my right arm as a bullet hit me. In a split second, the team returned fire. I pushed myself up from where I'd fallen and grabbed my gun, holding it in my left hand.

"Come on; we have to go." Jasper pulled me up and pushed me into a run. I pushed the pain from my mind. I'd deal with that when I had time, and now was definitely not the right time. It was eerily quiet, and when I looked around, the bodies on the ground confirmed they'd taken down the threat. I don't know how long we ran, but the next thing I knew, I was being pushed to sit down. "Newton, come take care of this."

"Captain, look at me," Newton said as he knelt in front of me, pulling his bag from his back. From his pack he pulled bandages, iodine, a small suture kit, and other things I couldn't name.

"I'm fine," I gritted through clenched teeth. It was painful, but I'd live. The bullet had gone straight through and looked as if only stitches would be needed.

"I'm going to do my best to stop the bleeding, and then we can get back on the move." He tore the sleeve from my shirt, wrapped my arm with gauze, and then used the sleeve to tie off my arm. I groaned at the pressure but continued to breathe through it. "Look at me. Follow my finger." I rolled my eyes, shoved his hand out of my face, and stood.

"Let's move out," I commanded. We needed to get back to the base, back to safety.

By the time we reached the extraction point, the helicopter was approaching. We loaded up quickly and reached base within thirty minutes. I could feel my energy wane, but Newton had done a good job staunching the bleeding. As my men headed to be debriefed, a medical team rushed forward.

"I'm fine," I said as I held up a hand to try to ward them off.

"I'll be the judge of that, Captain Cullen," a soft, alto voice answered.

* * *

A/N: 02/28/2018

I'm so excited to start this with y'all, and I hope to all hope that you enjoy it. This is meant to be light with a bit of suspense (I can't seem to stay away from that).

For those of you that read the contest entry that inspired this (Christmas Magic), the first part of this story will be very familiar. I'm fleshing it out, but the just is still the same. Let me know your thoughts!

I have no set posting schedule, though I will try to post every 1-2 weeks. I have about 9 chapters written, and there are 30ish in my outline.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"I'm fine," I said as I held up a hand to try to ward them off._

 _"I'll be the judge of that, Captain Cullen," a soft, alto voice answered._

* * *

I looked up and was awestruck at the beauty in front of me. She was looking at me with warm chocolate eyes that held a stern expression. However, with thick black-rimmed glasses perched on a cute button nose, soft-looking chestnut hair tied messily on top of her head, and hands on her slender hips daring me to defy her, all I could do was smile.

"Yes, ma'am," I conceded with a grin. She nodded once then stepped forward as she pushed her glasses higher up on her nose. She took a penlight from her pocket and shone it into my eyes. "Follow the light." I did as I was told looking left then right as I followed the beam. She reached down and grabbed my hand sending a shock from her fingers through mine and up my arm, my breath catching as I studied her. Gently, her soft fingers moved to my wrist. After a second, I moved my hand to grip hers. "If you wanted to hold my hand, all you had to do was ask." I winked, but I my confidence faltered when she rolled her eyes.

"Steady pulse, pupils responding," she said, ignoring me all together. She removed the gauze and makeshift tourniquet. Without the pressure, the pain bloomed and my arm began to throb. My eyes crinkled, but I refused to say anything. I could handle a little pain, had been through worse. She was perceptive though and saw it immediately.

"Dr. Swan," a young medic pulled her attention from me. "Do you need us to prep an OR?" My eyebrows rose before I could stop them. Doctor? She looked far too young to be a doctor.

"No, Nathan. I don't think he'll need that. Let's get an x-ray to be sure there are no bullet fragments, but it looks like a pretty clean through and through." She turned back to me trapping me in her chocolate pools as she placed the penlight back in her pocket. "Let's get you over to the hospital. I want an x-ray, full blood panel, and I'll need supplies to stitch this up. With any luck, we'll have you patched up and on your way within a few hours." She took me by the arm gently and led me towards a van.

"A few hours? That's not near enough time to get to know each other." She huffed but didn't say a word. "Come on. No bite?" She stepped in the van before me, and I took the opportunity to admire the way her lab coat pulled taut over her ass. When I stepped up into the van, my head spun, and I swayed. She reached forward, grabbed my good arm, and pulled me up into the van to sit beside her. I didn't have enough time to appreciate the strength that took.

"Captain Cullen, did you lose consciousness at all?" Her eyes scrutinized me, assessing me closely. The van lurched forward causing her to fall into me. Her upper body pressed tightly to mine. I could feel the outline of her breasts which made my lower half react. She placed her arms on my biceps and looked up, her face just inches from mine. I made sure to flex my arms so she could feel my defined muscles.

"If we're going to be this close, I think you should call me Edward." She cleared her throat and pushed away.

"Did you lose consciousness, Captain?" She sounded unaffected, no fluctuation in her voice. I sighed.

"No." I ground out as I tried to get comfortable and not let the petulance come through my voice.

"Any difficulty breathing?" I shook my head. "Any vision issues?"

"Well, I don't know." Her eyes turned concerned. "Maybe I'm seeing things?"

"What kind of things?" She reached forward and turned my head to look into my eyes.

"Are you wearing a halo?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before scooting away. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'll be good." She was definitely not like most women. That usually worked for me. "I'm not having any other issues. My arm just hurts like a bitch." She let out her breath and looked at me with a small, relieved smile.

"Good to hear."

Soon the van pulled to a stop in front of the infirmary. I was ushered inside and straight to x-ray. For the next hour, I didn't see much of the beautiful doctor. I'd heard a commotion like someone being brought in for emergency treatment. I figured she was busy with them. I was thumbing through a magazine when a knock interrupted me, and the door slid open to reveal a rather tired and defeated-looking Dr. Swan. She pulled the tray over that someone had set up with all the supplies she'd need to stitch me up.

"Good news, Captain," she said as she took a seat on the stool and scooted over to my arm. "No debris in the wound. It was a rather clean shot. There was no major damage, and the bullet missed your bones and arteries. Once we get you stitched up, with a few weeks of rest and physical therapy, you'll be good as new."

"That's great to hear," I said honestly. We were quiet as she cleaned the entrance and exit wounds then administered a mild numbing agent. "Hey, you alright?" She'd yet to unfurrow her brow.

"Mmhmm." She slowly and methodically worked on my arm for a few minutes then paused for a moment, rubbing her thumb over an old scar just a few inches higher. "Not your first rodeo, huh?"

"Oh." I shifted, not really wanting to talk about it. "That's nothing."

"Not according to what's in your file." I didn't like to discuss that wound. Though that mission was classified as a success, I failed that day. Karen lost her husband, Jack his father. That would never be okay.

"Well, this puts me at a disadvantage. Having my file means you know more about me than I know about you. Tell me something about you." She continued to work, focused on the task at hand. "Let's start small. How long have you been a doctor?" I saw her consider whether she was going to answer me. I hoped she would.

"I finished med school four years ago," she finally answered.

"Have you been an army doc from the beginning?" She nodded. We lapsed back into silence as she finished suturing the entry wound and began on the exit. For the first time in a very long time, I didn't know what to say. Unlike most women, the good doctor seemed immune to my charm. Before I realized it, she was tying off the last stitch.

"Alright. You're all done, Captain." She smiled at me, but it was tight, forced.

"Thanks, Doc."

"Keep the wound clean and rest your arm for the next two days. After that, use it for regular activities, _not_ shooting a gun or participating in physical training. You'll need to come see me again in a week. If everything's still looking good, we'll get you set up for physical therapy. Won't be too long before you're operational again."

"So I get to see you again?" I was so happy at the prospect, I said it without thinking. For once, it wasn't a pickup line.

"For assessment, yes." She stood and pushed the stool and tray to the corner of the room. "I'll write you a prescription for the pain and a sling for your arm." I started to protest, but she cut me off. "No arguing. The sling is just for the next two days. You can leave it off after that. Now do you have any questions?"

"I've got lots of questions. Where do you want to start? Favorite color? Favorite movie? Got a hobby?" She rolled her eyes, but I might have detected her trying to hold back a smile.

"Any questions about your wound or treatment." I smiled sheepishly, but shook my head. "Then this is where I say goodbye." She stepped to the door and opened it but paused. "Quick recovery, Captain Cullen."

"See you soon." She left without looking back.

* * *

 **A/N: 03/09/2018**

 **Hello lovelies! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I loved reading them and responding. I can't wait to see what kind of questions and theories y'all have. I'd love to hear from more of y'all after this, now that they've met.**

 **If you're on Facebook, I'm Lena Kay. Feel free to find and friend me. If/when I have pictures, inspiration, teasers, and just general random thoughts, I'll be posting over there. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!**


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _Any questions about your wound or treatment." I smiled sheepishly, but shook my head. "Then this is where I say goodbye." She stepped to the door and opened it but paused. "Quick recovery, Captain Cullen."_

 _"See you soon." She left without looking back._

* * *

Two hours later, I was finally released. It'd taken a while to fill the prescription and finally be allowed to leave the hospital. From there, I reported to command for debriefing. I went over my recollection of events as I was questioned about every step. We had to figure out how they knew of our presence. Once that was over, I'd had the dreaded paperwork to complete. The paperwork wasn't so bad, but there were lots and lots of paperwork. That's what you get for being shot. Plus, with one bum arm, my good arm at that, it was slower than usual. Eventually though, I finally had time to make the dreaded phone call. Part of me hoped it'd go straight to voicemail since it was mid-morning there. They should both be at work.

"Hello." The sound of her voice immediately made me homesick to see her, to feel her hug me. I sat down in my office chair, leaning back hoping to relieve some of the pain.

"Hi, Mom," I said longingly. I wasn't able to talk to my parents much while deployed. Hell, it'd been five weeks since I spoke to them last.

"Oh Edward, Baby. It's so good to hear your voice!" I had to roll my eyes. It didn't matter that I was a 33-year-old man. She still saw me as her baby. "Carlisle! It's Edward. Come here." I heard some shuffling of the phone.

"Hello, Son," my father greeted enthusiastically.

"Hi, Dad. How are you both?"

"Oh, we're doing just fine. We're just happy to hear your voice. It's been a while since we last got to speak." I nodded even though they couldn't see me.

"How are you?" Mom asked.

"I'm okay." I tried to sound nonchalant, but my parents could always read me like a book.

"What does that mean?" My mom asked frantically. "What happened? Where are you? Why-"

"Es, Dear," I heard my dad interrupt her. "He's on the phone with us. He's talking to you, so he's okay. Right, Son?"

"Yes," I said, which was the truth. "I'm okay. Just got a few stitches today. I'm all patched up now."

"What happened, Baby?" I closed my eyes, rubbing them. Since all of our missions were classified, I couldn't tell her what really happened. It was always the same cockamamy story. I hated lying to my parents, but it was necessary.

"Training accident. That's all."

"Who treated you?" My father, always the doctor.

"She's new on base. Dr..." I grabbed my paperwork from the desk and checked the top. "Isabella Swan."

"A new doctor?" I could hear the trepidation in his voice.

"She's not a new doctor, just new to the base. Said she finished med school four years ago."

"No matter," Mom said dismissively. "You'll be out soon and won't have to worry about these damn 'training accidents' anymore."

In seven months, my tour was technically up. I'd have to decide if I was truly done or if I wanted to reup. After 16 years in the Army, the thought of being done, of finally having a place to call home was appealing. But I wasn't just in the Army; I was Army. This was me; this was who I am. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but I hadn't told my parents yet. I wasn't ready for that argument yet.

"So, what did Dr. Swan say?" Dad asked wanting specifics.

"I'm in a sling for two days, rest for a week, then physical therapy for a bit. I'll be good as new in no time."

"No surgery?"

"No. Just some stitches. I promise. I really am okay."

"Glad to hear." I could hear him typing on a computer, no doubt looking up what he could on the doc.

"Enough about that," Mom said. "Do you know yet if you get to come home next month?" Thanksgiving was only four weeks away. As of now, things weren't looking good for me to return. With Amari's men able to find us, my guess was we'd be redoubling our efforts.

"Not sure yet. As soon as I know, I'll let you know, but if I can only have one holiday home, I'm-"

"Going to choose Christmas, I know."

Even though she interrupted me, I could hear the affection in her voice. Mom had been obsessed with the holiday as long as I could remember, and it had rubbed off on me. There was something special about the time of year, something magical. As a boy, I loved all the lights, decorating the house with trees and garlands. We spent an evening every year driving around Seattle looking at all the decorations while drinking hot chocolate. As I grew up, the holiday didn't lose its magic, but I recognized it in other things. We started buying gifts and distributing them to children at hospitals that couldn't go home and spend Christmas with their family. The smiles on their faces made me feel warm. I was happy to help them see the magic of the holiday.

"Oh, I hope you can come home," Mom's voice brought me out of the memories. "Your brother is coming home from MIT, and he's bringing a girl." My eyebrows rose at the news.

"Emmett? A girl?" We all chuckled. "That's shocking." Emmett was eight years my junior, but despite the age gap, we were close as kids. He was my total opposite – nerdy, shy, and definitely not a lady's man. He didn't get his first kiss until he was 17, and he didn't have his first girlfriend until he was 19. Plus, I'd just talked to him last month…two months ago…I hung my head in realization that it'd been four months since I'd talked to him. I was ashamed with myself and made a mental note to speak with him soon.

"I know. I can't wait to meet her. He sounds smitten." I smiled, but was also saddened at the same time. Sometimes I felt like I was missing out on so much of my family's lives.

"Speaking of girls," Mom said suggestively and trailed off. I rolled my eyes.

"Ma! I'm in the dessert!" My dad chuckled. He was absolutely no help at all.

"Don't 'Ma' me, young man. A mother can ask these things. I gave birth to you; you owe me some leeway." I smiled at her tone.

"I'd love to talk some more, but it's been a long day. I really need to get some rest."

"We understand, Son. Call us as soon as you can." I nodded. "I love you."

"Don't think I didn't notice your avoidance of the question, but I'll let it go for now," Mom said. "I love you."

"I love you too. Tell Emmett I said 'Hi'."

"We will. Bye, Baby."

* * *

 **A/N: 03/27/2018**

 **Hello lovelies! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you joined me from the contest, you'll see a little more from Edward about his career in the Army. This will be explored in more depth in this story.**

 **I also want to apologize that it's been a while since I updated. Real life has been very rough. After a year and a half, my aunt lost her battle with cancer. She had been miserable for quite a while and the end was not easy, quick, or painless. Cancer is a bitch, and I'd love nothing more than be able to kick it's ass after what it did to her. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2016...after having had a full hysterectomy more than 30 years prior. So this is my PSA. You can get ovarian cancer even if you don't have ovaries. You should be examined every year, like clockwork. Do not skip your annual physical. It can literally save your life.**


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"Don't think I didn't notice your avoidance of the question, but I'll let it go for now," Mom said. "I love you."_

 _"I love you too. Tell Emmett I said 'Hi'."_

 _"We will. Bye, Baby."_

* * *

There was a bounce to my step as I was led back to an exam room. I get to see the doc today! She had plagued my thoughts and filled each moment, both awake and in sleep, with her presence. Having her in my dreams was both a blessing and a curse. I loved seeing her when I closed my eyes, but man did it make it hard to wake up. It wasn't just her beauty that captivated me. I wondered about _her_. Why did she become an army doc? What did she do when she wasn't working? What kind of music did she like? Why did she become distant last week? How old was she? The wait in the exam room was short, and within five minutes, she walked in.

"Hello, Captain," she greeted me with a smile, a genuine smile this time.

"Hiya, Doc," I returned with a smile of my own. "How are you today?" She smirked.

"Pretty sure that's my line. How's the arm feeling?"

"Doing well." I moved it around to emphasize my point. And it was the truth. There were moments I felt twingy, and by the end of the day, it was sore. Overall though, I could tell it was getting better.

"Let me take a look." She stepped closer waiting for me to present my arm. I was in a long sleeve shirt this morning, so I removed it hoping for a reaction, but I didn't see one. I had a moment of disappointment.

"It looks like it's healing nicely." She took a seat and rolled the stool over to me. I sat back on the bed and turned so my arm was directly in front of her. Her gentle hand lifted my arm, and she began her exam. "Any issues this week?"

"No."

"What's your pain level on a scale of 1 to 10?"

"2." She prodded the exit site, pushing her glasses on top of her head to get a closer look.

"What about the end of the day?"

"4, but mainly due to soreness."

"Did you take the pain meds?" She stopped her exam and looked up to me.

"The first two days, yes. Then I lowered the dose. I haven't used any for the last three days." She nodded with a smile causing her glasses to slip back onto her nose.

"That's great." She pulled her gloves off, tossed them in the trash, pushed her glasses higher on her nose, and rolled over to the table to write in a chart. "I want you to go to physical therapy three times a week for two weeks. The stitches aren't quite ready to be removed yet though. I want to leave them in for another week. When you come back, anyone that's available can remove them." She stood holding the chart to her chest. "Someone will be in soon to talk to you about PT. Do you have any questions, Captain?"

"Edward." She looked at me with her head tilted. "Please call me Edward." I hoped she'd listen to me this time.

"Okay, Edward. Any questions?"

"Yes, one." I stood and pulled my shirt back on. "May I take you to dinner?" She looked at me clearly stunned. Honestly, I was a bit stunned myself. I hadn't meant to say it. She'd made it seem as if she were no longer going to treat me, which meant I wouldn't be seeing her again. I didn't want that. So, I asked without thought, and even though I didn't mean to, I definitely didn't regret it. My heart raced as I awaited her answer anxiously.

"Oh. Uh, um," she stuttered, her cheeks flushing pink, her eyes not meeting mine. "I uh, I don't-"

"Don't say no," I interrupted stepping closer and slightly invading her personal space. "Go to dinner with me."

"Captain...Edward." She looked up at me. "You're my patient. That would be unethical."

"You said yourself that anyone can remove my stitches. You're no longer treating me." She trapped her lower lip between her teeth. "Please. Go to dinner with me."

"I - I - I'm working tonight." No problem.

"Tomorrow then, or this weekend." I watched her struggle with what excuse to use next.

"Um. You don't even know me." I smiled.

"Isn't that the point of a date? To get to know each other? Come on, what other excuse ya got?"

"I don't - that's not." She quieted and huffed, shifted her body weight to the other foot unconsciously bringing her closer, our bodies within inches of each other. "I uh - I'm not really...that...interesting. You don't want to go to dinner with me." Self-deprecating much?

"I'd like to be the judge of that." I placed my hand on her arm. She looked up at me shyly. "Over dinner. Please?" Her eyes held my gaze. I smiled at her encouragingly. "It's just dinner. I'm not asking for a long-term commitment." Not yet, I finished in my head. She was silent for a few moments.

"Okay." It took me a second to register what she said, that she'd finally agreed.

"Yeah?" She nodded and my smile bloomed. "Great. That's great." I took her hand and squeezed it. I wanted to pull her into a hug, but I figured that might freak her out. "Tomorrow?" She nodded. "Great. I can come get you. Where are you staying?"

"I, uh, I get off at seven. You can come here to get me. About 1930?"

"1930 is perfect." She looked down. I followed her line of sight and realized I was still holding her hand. I released it and cleared my throat. "I, uh, I guess I'll let you get back to work." She smiled and turned to open the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, tomorrow." She left then, and I bounced on my toes, happy she'd said yes.

* * *

 **AN: 04/04/2018** **Hello readers! First, I want you all to know that this story officially has a banner made by the very talented Lizzie Paige who I can't thank enough for helping me out. I also want to thank SunflowerFran for finding Lizzie for me. This fandom is full of some very awesome people. Lizzie did a phenomenal job, and I love it. The banner is up on my Facebook if you'd like to see it: Lena Kay. If you want to friend me to watch for updates, pictures, etc., please send me a quick message that you're coming from fanfiction. I've gotten a lot of strange requests lately and don't want to miss you.**

 **Well, Bella finally gives in and agrees to a date. We'll see just how the date goes next chapter. Leave a review if you've got the time, and feel free to ask questions or leave theories. I adore interacting with y'all and try to respond to all of them.**


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"I, uh, I guess I'll let you get back to work." She smiled and turned to open the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."_

 _"Yes, tomorrow." She left then, and I bounced on my toes, happy she'd said yes._

* * *

The next morning, I woke with a smile still on my face. I had a date today with the doc! First, though, I had to get through the day. I had my first physical therapy appointment at 1000, a team exercise at 1300, and a meeting with the brass at 1700, which shouldn't last more than an hour. That should give me plenty of time to take a shower and get over to the hospital in time to pick up the doc. Since I still had a few hours before my appointment, I decided to hit the gym. I may not be able to do a full workout yet, but I could still do some cardio and leg training. I got out of bed and threw on some workout clothes before heading out.

When I walked into the gym, I was greeted by others from the company. Not wanting to be rude, I greeted them as well but didn't stop as I made my way to the back where the leg press machines were located. I only had an hour before I needed to head to physical therapy. I found Jasper using the bench press next to the machine I wanted and moved behind him, carefully leaning my weight on the bar. His eyes cut to me with anger, but it quickly cooled to annoyance once he saw it was me.

"Asshole," he grunted as he struggled to press the bar up. I laughed and removed my weight so he could rack the bar. I laughed harder when he punched me in the thigh before moving to sit on the bench. "What are you doing here besides being a grade A jerk?"

"Working out. What else?" I dropped my water bottle and towel between our machines and lowered onto mine.

"Are you cleared to be here?" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not doing anything with my arm, _Mom_."

"Fine. Just don't do something you're not supposed to do." I nodded and got to work, Jasper going back to his own routine. I was able to zone out as I worked. I also thought about tonight's date and what we could do.

It felt nice to be doing something physical again. The past week, I'd done as I'd been instructed and rested. Most of my time had been spent in the office, reviewing Intel from before our mission hoping I could find something, anything that would explain how we had been compromised. Nothing had jumped out at first glance, but I planned to spend more time reviewing the data in depth.

"Dude, what's your deal?" Jasper interrupted my thoughts. I looked at him as if he were nuts.

"What are you talking about?" He racked his weights and spun to face me with a bemused look on his face.

"You've been spaced out for at least twenty minutes whistling with a goofy ass grin on your face." I was? He laughed at my confused look.

"I was not." Denial seemed like the best response.

"Don't lie to me." He studied me for a long moment while I returned to working out.

"Who is she?" I faltered, the weight almost pinning me, but I got it back under control. "Ha! I knew it. You can't fool me, Cullen. Come on; who's the chick?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I was sticking with denial. He stood and moved towards me, pushing the weight down just as I'd done to him.

"Who is it? Who'd you bed?" I gritted my teeth.

"I didn't bed her. Don't be crass." He held up his hands in surrender, giving me a just a moment of reprieve so I rack my own weights while I had the chance.

"Pardon me." His southern twang came through strongly with his apology. I stood and grabbed a towel, wiping the sweat from my face. "Did you take her out?"

"Not yet." I felt a smile spread on my face, unable to contain it.

"Oooh. So, when's the big date?"

"Tonight." He whistled low.

"Going off base?" I was shaking my head before he finished the question.

"She, uh, she seems pretty shy, almost skittish. I'm gonna take her to Bobby's. Figure there'll be plenty of people around but not be too crowded. I think casual is my best bet with her. I've gotta tread carefully." He gave me a strange look.

"That doesn't sound like you. Aren't you the love 'em and leave 'em type? Easy, quick, and onto the next."

I wanted to be mad at him, but he had a point. That's how I'd been in the past. I didn't normally have to work to get women, so I never put too much effort into it. None of them had held my attention for long either. That sounded callous, but it was the truth. It was mutual though; we never parted on bad terms, but we always parted. With her though…I wanted to make an effort. I wanted her.

"I think she'll be worth it," I answered honestly. Picking the towel up from the floor, I wiped the sweat from my face.

"Well good for you, man." He slapped me on the arm, the uninjured one thankfully. "Trust me. Committed relationships are great. Me and Aly Kat have been together for four years, and it's never boring." I had no doubt with Alice as his wife, his life was never boring. They'd been married for the last three years, and I'd known her since the first started dating. She was a short, little thing, but her personality was ten feet tall.

"Woah! I'm not marrying the girl. We haven't even gone on a date yet." He smirked.

"I know. Just sayin'." I rolled my eyes and threw the towel in his face. "Nasty, man!" He pushed the towel away violently, and I just laughed.

"Get back to work. You're distracting me." I turned and headed towards the treadmills.

"Not my fault. Pretty sure it's your girl." Since he couldn't see me, I didn't try to hide my grin.

* * *

 **A/N: 04/09/2018 Hello sooner than I expected! I hope this helps pep up your Monday morning. And it's not the date that I promised. I'm sorry. This had to come first, but the date, or at least the first part of the date, will be coming next chapter.**

 **What did you think of Jasper? He's going to be around for a while, a strong secondary character, so I hope you like him.**


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"Get back to work. You're distracting me." I turned and headed towards the treadmills._

 _"Not my fault. Pretty sure it's your girl." Since he couldn't see me, I didn't try to hide my grin._

* * *

After checking my watch, I quickened my pace. It was 1925, and I wasn't sure I'd make it to the hospital on time. Unfortunately, my final meeting of the day had lasted longer than I anticipated. Once I was finally released and made it back to my room, I rushed through my shower. Then I had a girl-moment about not knowing what to wear, but finally decided on dark jeans and a dark green long-sleeve button up shirt. It may be the desert, but the temperature could drop significantly at night, so I'd grabbed my leather jacket on the way out.

It was 1934 when I finally walked into the hospital. Late. Not a great first impression. I made my way to the front desk not sure where to find her. We hadn't ironed out that detail. The man at the desk looked up and greeted me warmly.

"I'm here for Dr. Swan."

"Do you have an appointment?" He turned away and began typing on his computer, but I wasn't sure how to answer. Part of me wanted to say we had a date. I was proud of that fact, but after watching her each time we were together, I had a feeling she was a private person. She always remained professional, not just with me but with the other hospital staff with which I'd seen her interact. I didn't want to air her personal life if she didn't want the information in the open.

"Yes. 1930. Unfortunately, I'm running a little late." He nodded and continued to type, but his brows quickly furrowed.

"I'm sorry. I don't see-"

"Edward," I heard from behind me and turned with a smile, which quickly bloomed into a full grin at the sight of her standing in the doorway.

"Hi." I stepped forward as she did as well, letting the door go behind her. When the door closed, it caught her foot causing her to pitch forward. I dashed forward and caught her, her weight resting against me. I liked the feel of her body pressed to mine with my arms wrapped around her. Quickly, quicker than I'd like, she stood up and stepped away while pushing her glasses higher on her nose as her cheeks filled with color. I was forced to release her from my grip. I missed the feel of her and hoped I could find a reason to get her back in my arms before the end of the night.

"I'm sorry." She looked down as she smoothed her clothes to distract herself.

The movement drew my attention, and I took in what she was wearing. Her jeans hugged her hips snuggly, and her blue V-neck top molded to her curves, accentuating an hourglass figure that had been hidden under her lab coat the last few times I'd seen her. And there on her feet were a pair of blue converse, a perfect match for her shirt.

"Don't apologize. I'm not complaining." I winked, and her cheeks tinged pink. "You look beautiful." Her eyes tightened slightly, and she sighed.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I'm running late. I had to do an emergency appendectomy, and we found a mass while performing the extraction. It was sitting...on..." She stopped and rolled her eyes. "I, uh, get carried away sometimes. But you don't care about the mass. I'm sorry. I tend to ramble when I'm nervous. I'll shut up now."

"No. I do care. I want to get to know you. You're a doctor; this is part of that. And you can ramble all you want. I'm interested in whatever you have to say." She looked at me warily then shook her head.

"O-okay."

"Good!" I placed my hand against her back and turned, urging her forward. "I hope you don't mind walking."

"No. Prefer it, actually. Um, one second." She turned back to the man behind the desk who was trying to pretend he wasn't watching our interaction. "William, I'm off until 0800." He looked over to give her his full attention. "Private Arnold is resting, but I need someone to check the incision in a few hours. Biopsy results should be back in a few hours. I'd like those ready for review when I come in, and Lt. Evans needs to be prepped and ready for her laminectomy. Dr. Juarez will be performing that once he's completed his rounds."

"Yes Dr. Swan," he said as his eyes cut to me curiously, but he wasn't going to say anything. "Have a nice night."

"Thank you." She turned back to me. "Where to?"

"Have you been to Bobby's?" She shook her head as we made our way outside, and I turned her to the left. "It's a bar and grill not far from here. It's one of my favorites, reminds me of home. Food's really good. Are you a tot fan?" She looked over at me.

"Tot?"

"Yeah. Tater tots?"

"Oh." She giggled, the sound warming me. "Yes. Well, I don't mind them. I honestly can't remember the last time I had...tots."

"What? That makes me sad for you. Tots are awesome." She shrugged and pushed her hands into her pockets.

"I don't get much time outside of the hospital so it's mostly whatever they have in the cafeteria. Tonight's a treat."

"No one's called me a treat before, but thank you for the compliment."

"Oh!" She stopped and turned towards me. "I didn't...I mean, I just - goodness." She pressed a hand to her forehead.

"Hey, hey." I took her hand from her head and pulled it away. "Take a deep breath." She did so. "I don't mean to make you nervous. You have nothing to be nervous about. I just want to get to know you better. You may just have to overlook my sense of humor sometimes. My mom rolls her eyes at me a lot, so I have a feeling I may not be as funny as I think I am." She tilted her head and looked at me with a slight smile as a long pause stood between us.

"Okay." She squeezed my hand making me realize I'd never dropped hers.

"Okay." I squeezed back then turned and tugged her to start moving again. "So. Tell me about yourself, Dr. Swan."

"Bella." I looked over at her with a smile. "I'm Dr. Swan at the hospital, but my family calls me Bella."

* * *

A/N: 04/15/18 Good afternoon everyone. I hope you liked the first part of their first date. Edward's being his charming self, but it may not be going over so well with Bella yet. We'll see if she warms up over the second half of this date next time!


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"So. Tell me about yourself, Dr. Swan."_

 _"Bella." I looked over at her with a smile. "I'm Dr. Swan at the hospital, but my family calls me Bella."_

* * *

We spent the rest of the walk in easy conversation. I hadn't released my grip on her hand, but she didn't let go either. I loved the feel of her smaller hand in mine. When we arrived at the grill, I held the door open ushering her inside. Several men in my company hollered as I walked by. I nodded in greeting as I led her to the booths in the back where the music was quieter.

"What would you like to drink?" I asked as she slid into the booth.

"Dr. Pepper if they have it. Water if not." I nodded.

"Be back in a minute." She nodded as I walked away.

"Hey Cullen," Bobby greeted, reaching across the bar to bump fists. Bobby, in his late 50s, was a staple on the base. He'd served here during his time. Then when an IED took his leg and left shrapnel in his chest, it sidelined him. After his discharge, he came back to open this place. Said he couldn't leave; it was home.

"Hey, Bobby. How ya been?"

"Good, good. And you?" He looked around me. "Did I see you walk in with a woman?" I smiled and nodded. "Alright then."

"Shut it, old man." He laughed, not offended. "I need drinks. You got Dr. Pepper?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Got a shipment in this week."

"That and a root beer, please. Two menus. And can we start with some tots?"

"You've got it." He passed me the items along with two glasses of ice. "I'll be out with the tots and to take your order." I thanked him and headed back to my date. She was perusing the decor on the walls, all the old signs Bobby had been collecting over the years, oblivious to the attention she was garnering from the men in the room. I scowled at the realization, but part of me also felt pride that she was here with me.

As I settled into the booth across from Bella, she thanked me, took a drink, and asked about my family. Our conversation continued seamlessly. At some point, Bobby brought our appetizer and took our orders. I honestly couldn't tell you what happened while we were at dinner outside of our booth. She was fascinating and captivated my full attention. When she talked about her job and her patients, her face lit up. I could tell she loved what she did; she became very animated and excited when she talked about it.

"So why an Army doc?" I finally asked. The question had been niggling at my mind since I met her. Not many people did this, the Army, without some reason. Lord knows it didn't pay well.

"Um," she said as her eyes shifted from mine. Interesting. "Well, I'm definitely not brave enough to enlist, but I wanted to help my country. I've always wanted to be a doctor, so this just...fit." I waited for her to elaborate. While she wasn't lying, I was pretty good at reading people, and I could tell there was something else she wasn't saying.

"And?" She looked up at me, and I smiled. "There's more. What is it?" Her cheeks pinked, and she bit her lip. I shifted where I sat, because that did something to me. "Don't get shy on me now. I think this is going to be interesting." She chuckled.

"Honestly, I uh..." I nodded in encouragement. "I'm kind of an adrenaline junkie." I couldn't stop the surprise from showing on my face. That was the last thing I expected. Her face fell at my reaction, and she looked away. "I'm sorry. That-"

"No!" I rushed, while kicking myself. I placed my hand on hers in reassurance. "Honestly, I think we all are, those of us that join. You almost have to be." She looked up at me hesitantly. "I think that's why I like running surveillance and rescue so much. Not only do I have to focus on the mission, but I have to focus on the team too. All the moving pieces, it's challenging." She was nodding with a small smile. "What exactly is it that's appealing for you?"

"General surgery, especially in an emergency department, can be very unpredictable. You never know what's going to walk through the door. You may not have the time to do enough tests before you have to take action. I have to rely on my knowledge and experience, call in reinforcements when necessary and able. Then there's treatment or surgery. Everything has to be so precise. One wrong move can be debilitating. It's...it's a rush." While I wasn't a doctor, I completely understood what she was describing.

"There's no other feeling like it." She turned her hand over and squeezed mine.

"Yeah."

"Here ya go, kids." Bobby's voice in our bubble startled me. He was smirking when I looked over to see him holding our dinner. "Foods up." I reluctantly let Bella's hand drop from mine as he placed our plates in front of us.

"The tots were wonderful, Mr. Johnson," Bella complimented Bobby, her use of his last name surprising me.

"Aw, Doc," Bobby said as he blushed. "Just Bobby." She smiled, and though I hadn't known her long, I could tell that wasn't going to happen.

"You two enjoy. Let me know if I can do anything else for ya."

The rest of dinner flew by. She was so easy to talk to, and I really enjoyed getting to know her. We mainly stayed on safe topics. I figured I'd save the heavy stuff for a later date. A later date. I was looking forward to that.

"Really?" She threw her head back and laughed, the sight of her so free making my pulse race. I couldn't help but chuckle along with her.

"It wasn't that funny." It was, but I was trying to preserve some dignity.

"You're right. It's hilarious. I can't believe you let your little brother talk you into streaking. In November. In a snow storm." She covered her mouth and giggled some more, her eyes sparkling in the glow of the neon. "How much younger is Emmett?"

"Well, he just turned twenty...five. So, eight years." She snorted.

"So, you let your eight-year-old brother goad you into streaking." I shrugged. "Oh, Edward Cullen, you do surprise me."

"Same here, Dr. Swan. Same here." She smiled and looked away.

"Woah!" I turned to follow her line of sight but wasn't sure what caught her attention. "Is it really 11:15?" The time had gotten away from me. "I have an early surgery in the morning, and I-"

"You don't have to explain. I understand. Let me take care of the check then I'll get you home." I stood as she started to protest. "No arguments. I'll be right back."

Once the check was settled, I helped Bella from the booth and led her outside. The temperature had dropped significantly causing her to shiver and cross her arms over her chest. Like I needed another reason to ogle her. I shrugged out of my jacket, turned her towards me, and draped it over her shoulders. She thanked me with a whisper making me look up and notice how close we were. She licked her bottom lip, the movement catching my eye. I wanted it to be my tongue tasting that lip. It was too soon though. I didn't want to scare her off.

Before I could do the gentlemanly thing and pull away, she raised onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips against mine. Her hands wound around my waist and pulled me against her. For two second, I was frozen, but when my body met hers, it felt like every nerve in me ignited. This was what I'd been imagining for the last hour, and her initiating it spurred me into action. I wrapped my arms around her and deepened the kiss. We both groaned as my tongue tentatively tasted her, but the clearing of a throat pulled us back to reality. I leaned back to look at her, but kept her body locked into my arms. I moved my hands to her rosy red cheeks and pulled her lips back to mine for one last chaste kiss.

"Let me see you home." She nodded, pulled my hands from her face, threaded her fingers through mine, and turned away from the hospital.

"I'm this way, about ten minutes."

Our walk to her place was comfortable. We talked some of the time and an easy silence filled the space between us at others. Sooner than I would have liked though, we came to a stop in front of an apartment building.

"This is me." Her voice was quiet, but I was standing close enough to hear her clearly. I nodded, not letting go of her hand.

"I thoroughly enjoyed tonight." She smiled a genuine smile and my heart stuttered.

"Me too. Thank you for dinner."

"I want to see you again." What was with me and my lack of filter around this woman?

"Me too." I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"Good. And I'm not going to kiss you goodnight, because I don't know if I'll be able to stop." She bit her lip, which was not helping the situation.

"Me too." I couldn't stop the grin from stretching across my face.

"Is that all you can say?" She shook her head and chuckled.

"Sorry. It's just that you make me...crazy...happy...want to do things that should probably wait until at least the third date." I grinned broadly at her confession and couldn't stop my quip.

"Me too."

* * *

 **A/N: 04/17/18 What? Two updates in the same week? I know; I couldn't hold off. I wanted y'all to have the second part of the date. Please note I have taken some creative license here, it is fiction after all. Bobby would not be able to open a place on base in Afghanistan. As it is considered an active war zone, no civilians are allowed. This kind of thing IS allowed on other international bases which is what I'm pulling from.**

 **Y'all have been amazing with the reviews. I love replying to y'all and talking. I've had some great conversations, and I can't wait to have more. Leave me a review/note, and I'll be sure to get back with you!**


	8. Chapter 8

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _"Previously:_

 _Sorry. It's just that you make me...crazy...happy...want to do things that should probably wait until at least the third date." I grinned broadly at her confession._

 _"Me too."_

* * *

I debated on whether or not to knock on her door yet. I told Bella I'd pick her up at 1800 from her apartment, but that was still 15 minutes away. I was eager to see her, had been counting down the days since she agreed to this date five days ago. Would being 15 minutes early be too presumptuous? Would it scream desperate? Didn't girls take forever to get ready? She was probably still busy, and I didn't want to interrupt her. That would just be rude. Right?

"Hey." I spun around from where I'd been pacing to find Bella standing at the door looking at me hesitantly.

"Hey!" I stepped forward and pulled her into my arms, pressing my lips to hers without thought. I didn't pull away immediately, but I didn't linger as long as I would have liked. When I finally leaned away, I was happy to see the smile on her face. "I was just about to come get you." Her face turned skeptical.

"You've been pacing down here for at least five minutes." I felt the tips of my ears heat. Not sure I could meet her eyes, I looked away and pushed my fingers through my hair to give me something to do.

"You, uh…you saw that?"

"I've been ready for a while, excited to finally see you again." I looked up to find only sincerity on her face. "I was watching for you to arrive, and I was going to give you time to work up the courage, but…" I chuckled.

"I didn't want to rush you. And honestly, I didn't want to put you off by being too early." She reached forward pulling my hand into hers and threading our fingers.

"I like that you're eager. I am too. I really like you, Edward. I hope you do me as well. Like me! Do like me too!" I didn't stop the laugh that bubbled out of me at her unexpected innuendo. I couldn't resist and pecked her lips again.

"I do. Like you. Very much." She smiled.

"Good." She squeezed my hand, and I squeezed back. "So, where to? What do you have planned for me?" I turned and opened the truck door.

"How do you feel about going off base?" Her eyes lit with excitement.

"That would be great. I've only been off a few times." I closed her inside and hurried into the driver's seat firing up the engine and heading out.

"There's a restaurant not too far out that serves really great Turkish cuisine. I found it on my first tour, and I go back as often as I can."

"Turkish? That sounds fun!" Her enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself excited to give her this experience.

The ride wasn't too long, and work was the topic of our conversation. After telling me about a soldier that came in with a gunshot wound that had nicked his femoral artery, she asked about my team. I'd mentioned them in our conversations but not in detail. I told her about each of my team members. Second Lieutenant Jasper Whitlock had been with me for years. We'd worked together before I became Captain, and unless he had bigger aspirations, he'd be with me till the end. I trusted him more than anyone I'd worked with, and I wouldn't give that up easily.

I told her about our medic, Michael Newton. He'd been with us just shy of a year and was still adjusting to the team. He was fantastic at his job, and I knew we'd see great things out of him. She commented again that he'd done a really good job treating me in the field and asked if he intended to further his education/training. I honestly didn't know the answer, and I should. I'd definitely talk to him about it at some point in the near future.

Before I could tell her about the others, we arrived at the restaurant. I parked, opened her door, and escorted her inside. I kept a hand on her back to guide her, because she was busy looking around at everything. Whenever I came off base, I was constantly on edge watching for something to go wrong. Hazard of the job. It was nice to see the place through her eyes. She was mesmerized.

"Hello," the hostess greeted us in heavily accented English.

"Msaa alkheer," Bella returned. I kept the shock from showing on my face. She knew Arabic? The hostess's grin spread wider in appreciation. She asked, in Arabic, if it would just be the two of us dining. I told her it would and asked for a quiet table. She seemed to appreciate us speaking in her native tongue then led us to a table in the back.

"Shkra." She nodded then left assuring us a waiter would be with us soon. "So, you know Arabic?"

"Some." She scrunched her nose as she tilted her head to the side. "When I chose this assignment, I started trying to learn. It's tough, so I really only feel comfortable with a few things – basically pleasantries."

"Your accent is flawless." She shrugged then lifted the menu before placing it back on the table.

"Order for me?"

The evening was wonderful. The food was great, and watching Bella enjoy it made me lick my own lips in response. We talked about our childhoods. I smiled at the image she painted of a small little Bella, totally engrossed in her books. I told her about growing up with two parents that were very intelligent, but I hadn't gotten that gene. I wasn't dumb by any means, but I knew I'd never be a doctor like my dad or a CEO like my mother. When the topic naturally turned to school, Bella changed the subject. I let it go for now. There would be plenty of time to discuss that later.

By 2100 hours, I made sure the check was settled and we were on our way. As much as I was enjoying my time with Bella, I wanted her back on base before it was too late. I wanted her safe. Once I had her back to her building, I walked her up to her apartment not wanting to say goodbye.

"I had a wonderful time tonight, Edward," she said as she moved so our bodies were within inches of each other.

"I'm glad. And thank you for accompanying me," I agreed then pressed my lips to hers.

I wasn't worried about being tentative. I was quickly learning that Bella was not. She didn't disappoint and arched her back to push her body against mine. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her in tighter. Our tongues met, and my sigh was drowned out by her moan. She felt so good, and I didn't want to stop my exploration, but it was just the second date. Reluctantly, and after giving myself a few moments to enjoy the taste of her, I pulled away. I kept her face in my hands, my forehead against hers. I kept my eyes closed knowing that if I saw what I knew would be there, I wouldn't be able to walk away.

"I'm going to go now, so I don't do something stupid." Her breath was quick, her chest rising and falling rapidly against my own.

"It wouldn't be stupid," she said, her voice hoarse. I smiled and shook my head minutely.

"You're worth more than that." I finally opened my eyes to see her looking at me tenderly.

"Soon though." It was more of a demand than request. She kissed me roughly before turning and making her way inside. When I heard the turn of the lock, I rested my head against the door. I knew that had been the right choice, but part of me was kicking my ass. I could have had her.

* * *

 **A/N 04/22/18: Good afternoon everyone. I meant to get this out earlier today, but...life. I hope you liked the second date and getting to know Bella a little more. She can be a bit of a firecracker of which we'll see more. Up next is date number three, and I think we all know what that means... ;)**


	9. Chapter 9

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

" _You're worth more than that." I finally opened my eyes to see her looking at me tenderly._

" _Soon though." It was more of a demand than request. She kissed me roughly before turning and making her way inside. When I heard the turn of the lock, I rested my head against the door. I knew that had been the right choice, but part of me was kicking my ass. I could have had her._

* * *

Bella planned our third date. She wasn't scheduled to work the following Friday, so she invited me to come over to spend some time together and for her to cook dinner. My team had a training exercise that took us away from the base for most of the day. When we returned that afternoon, I hurried everyone through debrief then rushed to shower and shave before making my way to Bella's apartment. We hadn't set a specific time since I didn't know when the exercise would end, but I had a feeling she wouldn't be upset if I showed up at 1700.

"Oh my goodness," I groaned as I pulled back from her kiss when she pulled me inside. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes to enjoy the smells. "What are you cooking? It's making my mouth water." I opened my eyes and took her in fully for the first time. She was wearing a strappy little top that showed off her toned arms and this short, and I mean _short_ , little skirt. Now the food wasn't the only thing making me salivate.

"I've got a pot roast in the oven that should be just about done," she said as she turned and walked back into the kitchen. I closed and locked the door before dropping my jacket on the back of the couch and following behind. I had to hold myself back when I rounded the corner to find her bent at the waist pulling a dish from the oven. She placed it on the stove and pulled lids off two pots to reveal green beans and, holy shit, was that mashed potatoes?

"Baby. That looks ridiculously good." She beamed at me before opening a cabinet and reaching up to pull down two plates.

"Have a seat. I'll bring these to the table."

I could barely contain my excitement. Homecooked food was a rarity over here, and it'd been months since I was able to visit home, so this was going to be a real treat. She sat the plate in front of me, and I was barely able to refrain from digging in before she sat down. I didn't wait long though and closed my eyes to savor my first bite. It was incredible, reminding me of home. It might have even been better than my mom's. I had two helpings before I pushed my chair away from the table and leaned back in my chair.

"That was one of the best meals I've had in a very long time," I told her honestly. She finished her last few bites before pushing her plate away and turned toward me.

"Thank you," she said kindly.

"I really mean that. You are an incredible cook." I rubbed my stomach enjoying the meal I'd just had. I looked over to see Bella biting her bottom lip. The things that did to me.

"Ready for dessert?" I was satisfied with dinner, but there's no way I was going to turn down dessert.

"Whenever you are." I wasn't expecting her next move.

She stood, walked the few steps to me, and sat on my lap, straddling my waist. I moved my hands to hold her steady, and she pulled my lips between her teeth nibbling. This wasn't the dessert I was expecting, but I definitely wasn't turning it down. I was a little surprised at her forwardness, but I shouldn't have been. When I first met her, I thought Bella would be shy and reserved. I'd learned over our short time together that she was neither. It just took a little getting to know her before she opened up.

When her hands started wandering, I didn't stop her and did some exploring of my own. I ran my hands over her hips, up her sides, and over her breasts. She arched forward increasing the pressure as her hands moved to my hair where she tugged causing my stomach to clench in anticipation. Her hands moved to pull my shirt over my head. We only broke apart long enough to rid me of the fabric before we fused back together. Before long, she pulled back to take a gulp of air. Not wanting to separate, I moved to kiss that long, slender neck I'd dreamed about. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as I explored more of her skin with my lips and pulled her shirt and bra from her body.

"Please." Her breathy plea spurred me on, so I stood with her wrapped around me.

"Bed?" She motioned behind me with her head.

"Back there." I moved in that direction swiftly, more than ready to finally be with her. It didn't matter that we'd just met weeks ago. It felt like I'd waited for her for a lifetime. This was long overdue. "Turn left." I did and kept walking until my knees came in contact with the bed. Not expecting it to be so close, I fell forward, and Bella squealed. I reached down and braced myself to cushion our impact. I settled my weight down on her, and she moaned. She pushed on my shoulder, and I rolled over, her body following mine so she sat astride. She pushed herself up so she was sitting, and I admired the view. "You sure you're ready for this?"

"I've wanted this since the day I met you," I told her honestly. She smiled victoriously.

"Me too." She shimmied back so she was sitting on my thighs and reached for my fly undoing the button and pulling the zipper down. There was no hesitation in her movement. My eyes rolled back as her knuckles brushed against my cock. "Lift." I did as instructed, and she pulled my jeans down taking my underwear with them. When she reached for me, I sat up and flipped her on her back.

"Your turn." She placed her arms behind her head and glanced down suggestively, ushering me to make good on my promise. I kicked my pants off then slowly pulled the little scrap of a skirt from her legs leaving her tight little body in full view. I paused for a moment to appreciate her. I had a feeling Bella took care of herself, but this tone and definition took work. Before I could ask or think further, she reached for my arm and pulled me down on top of her.

"We can take our time later." She reached up and pulled my lip between her teeth before her head fell back to the bed. "Please." She reached down and took me in her hand. I stopped breathing as her soft little fingers stroked my cock pulling me closer and closer to where I wanted to be.

"Wait." I tried to pull away, but she whined. "Wait. I need-"

"Shit!" She looked to the left and reached over opening a drawer. She felt around for a second before pulling out a condom and held it between her fingers triumphantly. "This work?"

She didn't wait for me to answer before tearing the package open with her teeth. I took the rubber from her and rolled it on moving back over her. She guided me to her entrance, and I pushed in slowly. The feeling was overwhelming. I had to pause to gather my wits so I wouldn't blow my load in two seconds. She gave me a few seconds as she ran her fingers over my back lightly making me shiver at the sensation. On the next stroke, she gripped my ass and pulled. _Message received._ I pulled out, and when I pushed back in, she arched her back and wrapped her leg around my calf.

"Yes." Her affirmation spurred me on, and I picked up the pace. The sounds she made, the breathy moans, the gasps, sighs, and full-out moans…each confirmation that she was enjoying this heightened my own pleasure. I grabbed her knee and draped it over my elbow pulling her leg closer to her body as I felt myself go deeper. "Oh!" Her hand flew back to the wall, bracing herself. I felt my balls tighten and knew I wouldn't last much longer. "Rig..right…there."

"Do you like that?" She nodded once, so I thrust deeper, hitting a magical spot for her. Her breathing grew shallow, her mouth hanging open. I leaned down to kiss her, and she kissed me back sloppily. Suddenly she pulled away, her breath stopping as she stiffened. I felt her walls flutter around me making me lose it. I stilled inside her, my head falling to her shoulder as I came hard. When her body relaxed, I rolled over pulling her so she was lying on my chest. We didn't speak for a few minutes as our breathing settled. When I felt her move, I turned my head to see her smiling at me.

"You're really good at that." I laughed at her blunt compliment.

"Well thank you, ma'am." She placed her hand on my stomach then moved it down slowly.

"Wanna do it again?"

* * *

 **A/N 04/25/18: Hope you enjoyed that little chapter, or large chapter based on the word count. Thank y'all so much for the reviews so far. I'm truly enjoying them, and even more, I like getting to respond to y'all. Up next we'll get to know a little more about Bella and see Edward/Jasper's friendship some more. I think you're going to like the banter. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"You're really good at that." I laughed at her blunt compliment._

" _Well thank you, ma'am." She placed her hand on my stomach then moved it down slowly._

" _Wanna do it again?"_

* * *

I couldn't get enough of Bella. I wanted to spend all my time with her, but it was more than just physical attraction. I enjoyed all our time together, even when we just talked. She was smart. Crazy smart. Like Mensa smart. I didn't even know what that meant until I'd spoken to my father after I'd completed physical therapy. I wasn't surprised that he'd looked into her. He was a physician, but he was a father first. He trusted no one with his children unless he'd thoroughly vetted them.

I learned that Ms. Bella Swan had graduated from high school early. By early, I mean at the age of 14. She'd gone to college, finished in three years, and then began medical school at the age of 17, five years ahead of her peers. Even though she was brilliant, she was down to earth too. We could talk about football, apparently a favorite sport of hers, just as well as we could about the local culture and religion. She was a curious person, thirsty for knowledge. Probably a byproduct of her brain. Often, when she'd get going on a topic, she'd stop herself and apologize. I was slowly breaking her of the habit, assuring her I liked hearing her get worked up over a subject, most often her work.

I pieced together a few things she'd said about her past, and from what I could gather, she'd had a bit of a rough childhood. Kids can be cruel, and kids that didn't understand another, well, they could be the worst. She grew up being criticized and made fun of for her intelligence, so it was understandable that she was gun-shy about it. We'd get there eventually. I wanted her to be proud of her intelligence. I thought it was one of the sexiest things about her. That and her arms. Bella had mentioned the other night that she liked to do kickboxing to keep her in shape, and her body was badass as a result.

On top of that, she was willing to put up with my love of Christmas. I had told myself to take this Christmas slow, ease her into it. But my best friend had other plans. Jasper and I hadn't been cleared to go home for the Thanksgiving holiday. There had been chatter from the terrorist cell we were monitoring about a possible attack. Not knowing when it was planned or who the target was, the brass decided they needed all hands on-deck in case a rapid deployment was needed. Bella was staying on base too. Her father, the only living family she had, was not going to be able to get away from work, so she decided not to go back to an empty house. That was fine by me, because it meant we got to spend the holiday together. She cooked a fantastic meal and had me invite Jasper to join us. I was happy to have my best friend finally meet my girl, but I should have known he'd out me.

"Are you sure you're ready for Christmas with this one?" he asked her as we sat on the couch, uncomfortably full from all the delicious food. Bella was in the kitchen making something at the stove, a secret recipe she wouldn't reveal quite yet. I didn't know where I was going to put any more food.

"Well, not quite. I still need to find him a gift," she said distractedly as she focused on the pot stirring slowly.

"That's not what I mean. Your boy here is fucking obsessed with Christmas." I reached over and hit him on the stomach drawing an uncomfortable groan. I almost felt bad. Almost.

"Really?" I turned to see her looking at me with an amused smile.

"Absolutely."

"I'm not obsessed," I tried to defend.

"He's lying," Jasper jumped to talk over me, ignoring my glare. "I'm talking decorations, Christmas carols, gifts, the whole nine yards. He even believes in Christmas magic." I groan, and had I had the energy, I'd have beat his ass for that comment.

Jasper paused to take the proffered cup from Bella. I took one as well and scooted over to make room for her beside me. She sat down, gently wriggling around until she was pressed tightly against my side with her feet tucked under herself. I wrapped one arm around her shoulders as I took a sip of homemade hot cocoa and hummed in satisfaction.

"This is perfect, Honey," I told her quietly. "It tastes just like my mom's. How'd you do that?"

"Christmas magic." She smiled and winked before turning her attention back to the traitor.

"He's almost unbearable." Jasper continued to spew his lies. "I can barely sit in the office this time of year. It's like Christmas threw up all over the place."

"I am not that bad," I said haughtily, and turned to look at Bella. "Don't listen to him, Baby. He's delusional. I think all the turkey got to him." She giggled and shook her head.

"Tell me more," she said excitedly looking back at Jasper.

"Actually, I think Jasper needs to go. He's got some work to do." She scoffed smacking me on the chest lightly.

"I don't need to say more," Jasper said knowingly. "You'll experience it soon enough, and you'll regret not running away when you had the chance. Just remember, I warned you." I rolled my eyes but smiled when she pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"I think it's cute."

"Only because you haven't been the focus of it." Jasper laughed, drained what was left in his cup, and stood walking to the kitchen to put it in the sink. I looked over at Bella.

"I'm not that bad." She grinned cheekily.

"Sure, Honey." I felt my ears heat which caused her to giggle.

"Bella," Jasper said as he came back to stand in front of us. "Thank you kindly for the wonderful meal. My momma and Aly Kat will be happy to hear I didn't starve today. After all the sweetness from that cocoa and you two," he grinned impishly as I scoffed, "I'm going to go call my wife then take me a nice long nap." Bella handed me her cup and stood, pulling my best friend into a hug. Seeing them get along made me happy.

"I'm glad you came over today," she said while pulling away.

"Thank you for the invite." He walked to the door and turned to me. "I'll see you in the morning at the office." I nodded. "Lock up behind me kids. And don't do anything I wouldn't do." He was laughing at himself as he shut the door. Bella clicked the deadbolt and turned to me.

"Bed?" I groaned.

"As much as I want to, I don't know if I have the energy," I told her honestly. She rolled her eyes then came to pull me to my feed.

"I meant for a nap, you big perv. Jasper has the right idea." I followed behind as she pulled me along.

"I'm not the only perv in this relationship," I muttered quietly. She pulled off her pants, placed her glasses on the nightstand, and crawled into the bed as I did the same.

"I know." Her answer sounded sleepy. "Nap first. Sex later." I nodded and drifted off with her in my arms.

* * *

 **A/N: 05/01/18 Hello everyone. This is exactly why I don't like to have a set posting schedule. Life happened this week - crazy work stuff, best friend's wedding, unexpected injury, six hour wait at urgent care...the list goes on. I'm sorry to those who expected this earlier and it didn't come.**

 **But I'm here now! I hope you liked this update. For those who didn't read me before this story, I wrote a one-shot for a Christmas contest, and this is the expansion of that story. For those who joined me from Christmas Magic, this should sound familiar. We're moving forward with these two, and I can't wait to bring y'all more. Let me know what you think - even if it's just a few words or a smiley face. :)**


	11. Chapter 11

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"I'm not the only perv in this relationship," I muttered quietly. She pulled off her pants and crawled into the bed as I did the same._

" _I know." Her answer sounded sleepy. "Nap first. Sex later." I nodded and drifted off with her in my arms._

* * *

It was the week before Christmas, and I lay awake in my cold, empty bed. I had hoped to be with Bella tonight, but she had been called in for an emergency surgery in the middle of our date. She wasn't sure how long it would take, so she said we'd meet up the next day in time for the party. Some higher ups on base decided to throw a party a week before Christmas so that most everyone could attend before the inevitable exodus of those approved for leave. I was excited for the party. As Bella had found out, much to her and Jasper's amusement, I truly was obsessed, and a party for my beloved holiday was right up my alley.

I was looking forward to introducing her to more of the guys. Though she's met Jasper, the others from the team were itching to meet the girl "who'd tamed the playboy". I didn't think I'd been that bad, but my team disagreed. While I was excited to introduce her, I was also a bit nervous. They could be assholes. I'd warned them to be on their best behavior, but Lord knew they had a mind of their own. That's okay though; I controlled their schedule. If they acted untoward, I'd get my payback.

After tossing and turning for the better part of an hour, I finally drifted off to sleep. Not much later, I was wrenched awake by the annoying alarm. I rolled over, stopped the blaring, and got out of bed to start the day. I text Bella, wanting to see how her surgery went, but the message went unanswered. I wasn't surprised. She was probably sleeping. Not only was it 0500, but she didn't get to the hospital until 2300 last night. She probably hadn't been sleeping long.

The day passed by slowly as we prepared for another recon mission. I'd spent the last two weeks scouting and planning, and today I was briefing the team, laying out the plan, running drills. Finally, I dismissed everyone in early afternoon, because I felt comfortable with their first run of the drill.

"We'll pick this back up tomorrow," I told them as they packed away their weapons. "I want this drill to be so familiar you could do it in your sleep. We're not going to have any hiccups this time. Stealthily in, observe, and quietly out."

"Report back, 0600?" Jasper asked.

"Tonight's the party, Cap," Newton whined. "Can't we enjoy it without an early call looming over our head?"

"0600 is early?" I asked incredulously as I hid my grin. Bella had an 0800 shift tomorrow, and I wasn't leaving her bed any earlier than necessary. I wasn't admitting that to them though.

"Cap, come on," Isenberg started in. "It's a Christmas party. How many times do we get to do things like this?" The others started razzing me as well.

"Alright, alright. You babies. 0800." They cheered. "But I want everyone at their sharpest. No hangovers, no dragging. If I see anything less than your best, I'll tack on an extra hour of drills."

"Sir!" The echo assured me they'd be on their best behavior. Jasper sidled up next to me and whispered so only I could hear.

"Doesn't hurt that you get some extra time with your lady, huh?" I punched his arm as he laughed and quickly stepped away.

At exactly 1930, I knocked on her door. The party had started at 1900, and it was across base, but Bella's shift had also ended at that time. She'd been excited "to spiffy up for me" for a few weeks now. So, I'm sure I'd have to wait. From my experience, it took women a while to get ready when they were going out. Within a minute, the door swung open.

"Hey. I know..." I trailed off as I took in the sight in front of me. There she stood looking absolutely stunning in a little red lacy number. Her hair was messily piled on top of her head, leaving her slender neck free of any hindrance. The top of her dress was low-cut, lower than what she usually wore, but damn did her cleavage look spectacular. The straps were thick, but it left her toned arms exposed. The material hugged her tightly, accenting her narrow waist, and it was short, falling just below the Promised Land. I continued my perusal down and smiled when I saw a pair of red converse adorning her feet. She always wore the things and had them in every imaginable color. I'd asked her about it on our fourth date. They were practical, she said. She may be paged at any point. She needed to be able to stand in whatever shoes she was wearing for hours if she was needed for an emergency surgery.

"I, uh," she looked down then back at me with some uncertainty in her eyes. "I hope this is...acceptable." I was shaking my head before she finished.

"You look...absolutely breathtaking." She smiled, her shoulders relaxing. I stepped forward, finally pressing my lips to hers. It'd been too long since I had last kissed her. I pulled back before I could get carried away. Slowly, she opened her eyes, her sight a bit unfocused. "Hi there," I whispered.

"Hi." She looked down then back up at me before grabbing the lapels of my jacket. "You look very handsome." She leaned forward and pulled my lower lip between hers, scraping it slowly with her teeth. "Good enough to eat."

"Later." I smirked as her eyes darkened. "Are you ready?" She nodded then picked up a green jacket from the table.

It made me happy to see the small Christmas tree on the table decorated to the brim with ornaments. Bella assured me she liked the holiday, but once I was done with her, she'd love it. I'd brought a few things over each time I came to see her. Each time, she smiled fondly and shook her head, but not once did she ask me to stop. After three weeks of sneaking in decorations, her little apartment was almost acceptable. Lights were strung across the ceiling, garland trimmed the windows, and a little village scene sprawled across the kitchen counter.

"Okay." She held the jacket up to show me. "Ready now." I'd finally taught her to carry one when she was planning to be out at night. She hated toting the thing around, so I reached forward and folded it over my arm. Once she pulled the door closed and checked that it was locked, she reached down and took my hand into hers.

I turned us to walk towards the mess hall. Even though it would take us a good twenty minutes to get there, she preferred walking. She said she was cooped up in the hospital so much; she enjoyed getting to be outside, seeing the sights. I didn't think there was much by way of sights, but if it made her happy, I'd walk. The base was dark, just a few lights dotting the way. I took the time to enjoy just having her near me. Hopefully she wouldn't make me stay at the party more than just making a polite appearance. Before long, we arrived, and the sounds of the party came filtering through the door.

"One second," I told her. Before she stepped inside, I pulled her towards a large Christmas tree with a plethora of wrapped presents resting at the base. I turned our backs to the tree, took my phone from my pocket, and fumbled around until the camera was up. "I want a picture of us." She turned her body towards mine as I pulled her tightly against me and took a photo of us smiling. "One more." Just before I snapped the shot, she turned her head and pressed her lips to my cheek. My smile bloomed into a full-blown grin. I could already tell this would be one of my favorites. I turned towards her and captured her lips with mine. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," she whispered on a sigh. "Come on. Let's go inside." She turned me and pushed me towards the open doors.

"Hey, Cap!" I heard Jasper's voice and turned to find him waving at us from a table. I took a deep breath before placing my hand on Bella's back to guide her in his direction. I was surprised when my hand encountered skin, not material. I looked back to see her entire back exposed and bit my tongue. I really wanted to leave now.

"You like?" she asked with mischief.

"You're killing me here," I told her honestly. She just giggled and left me standing there as she waved at Jasper and made her way towards him and the rest of my team. I hurried to catch up not liking what she was wearing so much now. My team didn't need to see that much of her.

"Hey, Doc," Jasper said as he hugged her. I pulled her into my side as soon as he released her.

"Bella, these are the guys," I said as I turned her towards the rowdy group. "That's Newton, our medic."

"Great work on him." She threw her thumb towards me. "You did a wonderful job in the field." He nodded looking almost shy at the compliment.

"That's Isenberg, Cheney, and O'Malley."

"It's nice to finally meet you all." They greeted her, and those who had dates introduced them as well.

The party was great. It wasn't often we got to let loose and have some fun. The guys spent the evening drinking, dancing, and disappearing with the women that accompanied them. I danced whenever Bella asked me to, but mostly I spent my evening touching her. Her arms, her neck, and especially her back. I kept my touches appropriate for present company, but I wanted to touch her privately. After two hours, and two drinks for Bella, she was pleasantly tipsy and getting handsier by the minute. She leaned forward and kissed my cheek before whispering dirty things in my ear, making me shift in my seat hoping to find some relief for my growing problem.

"Bella, Baby," I warned, but it came out as more of a moan. She giggled causing her boobs to rub against me in a most delicious way. "That's it." I pulled her away and stood, retrieving her jacket.

"Yo, Cap. Leaving already?" Cheney asked.

"Bella has an early shift," I said, though it wasn't exactly true. "I'm going to take her home. See you guys in the morning." Bella slid her arms into the jacket and buttoned it up. I took her hand and tugged her towards the exit.

"It was nice to meet you all," she said as she smiled at each of my men. "I'm sure I'll see you around in the future." They all told her goodbye as I pulled her away. "Edward!" she scolded me. "That was rude, leaving them so abruptly."

"No," I said as I pulled her around a corner and pushed her gently against the building. "You were the one being rude, teasing me like that." I covered her body with mine, kissing her brutally. She moaned at the contact, hitching her leg around my waist and pressing her lower half to mine. She pulled away gulping for air.

"Take me home."

"Yes, ma'am." I dropped her leg and stepped away reluctantly.

"And make it quick if you can." When we walked back around the corner, Jasper was leaving with keys in hand. Perfect.

"Hey, Jazz. Give us a ride back." He smirked.

"Edward!" Bella scolded me again. I rolled my eyes.

"Please."

* * *

 **A/N: 05/06/18 Good afternoon everyone! I hope you enjoyed seeing a little more of Edward's Christmas magic. So Bella meets the guys, who are mostly well behaved. I think Edward would be proud if he wasn't so distracted. ;) Let me know what you guys think.**


	12. Chapter 12

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"Hey, Jazz. Give us a ride back." He smirked._

 _"Edward!" Bella scolded me again. I rolled my eyes._

 _"Please."_

* * *

Ten agonizing minutes later, Bella unlocked her door and we stumbled inside, lips still connected. I closed the door behind me, flipped the lock, and dropped the keys on the table. Bella reached forward, pushing my jacket off my shoulders and onto the ground. I started unbuttoning hers from the top and she started on the bottom. By the time it hit the ground, we were in the bedroom. Before I could lower her to the bed, she pushed me away. I looked at her confused, but that twinkle in her eye had me shutting up.

"Be right back," she said as she walked backwards into the bathroom. I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair. I didn't want to wait, but I had a feeling I'd appreciate whatever she had up her sleeve. She had me so worked up that I needed a few minutes to get myself under control anyway. I didn't get a few minutes though. Before I knew it, the door opened and there stood my own Christmas miracle. "So, have you been naughty or nice this year?" I groaned long and low.

"Which gets me you?" I asked, willing to be or do whatever she wanted.

"Which of my lists are you on?" She stood there, one arm resting against the doorjamb, one foot crossed over the other in a short Santa nightie that barely covered what I really wanted my hands on. "Come on, Captain. Which list?" I adjusted myself as I imagined all the things I wanted to do to her, the things she whispered in my ear at the party.

"Nice." Her smile faltered, so I rushed to correct myself. "Naughty!" One side of her smile lifted. "Definitely naughty." She fingerer the white fur line of the bottom of her outfit drawing my eyes directly there.

"Well then, Captain, I guess that means you get no presents this year. Maybe, though, you can earn a spot on the nice list." I nodded, swallowing thickly. She reached forward, running her fingers through my hair. "Can you be good for me?" I nodded again. "Really good?"

"Y-yes." She smiled and pulled me forward. Not waiting for instruction, I pulled her nipple into my mouth through the thin fabric and wrapped my arms around her thighs. She sighed at the contact, and I took my first handful of her ass, squeezing in appreciation.

"Good boy." I smiled and nipped at her before switching sides. She moved forward causing me to scoot back then planted her knees on either side of me. I reached up and pulled the front of her top down freeing her tits. Leaning forward, I licked around her pretty pink nipple causing her to gasp then moved up, trailing kisses along her chest and up to her delectable neck. "Edward."

As she sighed my name, I could feel it against my lips. I trailed my hands up her back, taking the top with me. She raised her hands allowing me to slip the material over her head. As soon as she was free, she grabbed my face and pulled me into her for a heated kiss. Her hands moved over me, my hair, my chest, my back. She seemed almost frantic, her hands not landing in one place for too long. Eventually she pulled back with a gasp, her eyes hazy. I pushed her to lean back, her hands braced against my legs as I let my eyes roam slowly over her body. She was absolutely beautiful. I would never get tired of seeing her like this, chest heaving, face flushed, the color trailing all the way down to her breasts. I looked lower to see a small red thong barely covering anything and chuckled.

"Did you know there is mistletoe down there?" My voice was low, the need evident.

"Oh, is there?" she asked coyly. I turned us quickly and laid her gently down. She smiled at me as she squirmed. I straddled her, settling gently onto her thighs to keep her in place. I then took her hands raising them over her head, pinning them in place with one of mine. I moved my hand down, trailing a finger along the way. She tried to raise her body when I skimmed over her chest, but I held her in place as I continued down to where her underwear sat atop her mound. "Edward. Please."

"Shouldn't I kiss under the mistletoe?" She nodded frantically, her hair coming undone from its confines. "I'm going to need you to keep your hands there." She nodded again, willing to agree to just about anything at the moment. I let go of her hands and moved down so I could slide her underwear over her smooth legs. She lifted them in the air to make it easier, and I held them there when I tossed the garment to the ground. I turned my head and kissed her ankle. "This is technically under the mistletoe."

"Ungh. Edward. Please." I nipped at her calf, moving the other leg to fall down my side. I continued to kiss as I moved closer to where she wanted me. "Yes. Yes." I moved back so I could kneel down before placing one very soft, feather-light kiss to her mound. "Yeeeeesssss." I smiled then took my first long swipe of her, savoring the taste. This was seriously one of my favorite things to do for her, though I would say I got just as much enjoyment from this as her. I wasted no time bringing her right to the edge but soon felt her fingers slide into my hair and grip me tightly. I pulled back, and she protested, her eyes flying open to look at me frantically.

"What did I say about those hands?" She released me quickly, her hands flying back above her head.

"Sorry. Sorry. Continue. Please?" She never had to beg with me. I went back to the job at hand, pulling her clit between my teeth. She cried out, her body arching under me. I could feel she was close, ready to let go. She reached up for the headboard, holding it tightly, fighting the urge to touch me. I reached up and pushed two fingers inside her, curling them the way she liked. "Yes. Yes. Yes." I felt her clench around my fingers as she gasped, her breath hitched, and her back arched as she climaxed. I moved back to watch her, pure ecstasy written on her face. I continued to move my fingers inside her coaxing her down from her orgasm.

When she slumped back onto the bed, I moved up her body and pressed my weight down onto her. She opened her eyes slowly, looking straight into mine. A slow, lazy grin spread across her face, and my chest tightened at the sight. I wanted to make her smile like that every day. Not sure what to do with this feeling, I leaned down and press a light kiss to her lips.

"So, am I on the nice list yet?" She chuckled, the movement causing her to rub against me in a torturously delicious way. That seemed to bring her back to reality as she looked down.

"You're wearing far too much clothing. Strip." I pushed up on my knees and worked on the buttons of the shirt. She sat up, unbuckling my pants and pushing them down as far as she could. I pushed off the shirt and moved to pull the undershirt over my head.

"Holy shit, Bella." Before the shirt was over my head, I felt her hot little mouth on my very sensitive cock. There was no hesitation as she sucked me for all she was worth. I started mentally reviewing my plans for training tomorrow, trying to stave off my impending orgasm. I couldn't come this soon, not before being inside her. Luckily, or not so luckily, her heat disappeared. She removed my shirt, pushed me onto my back, and pulled my pants and socks from me. "Bella."

"I'm sorry." She crawled over me, the sight rendering me speechless for a moment. "I promise I'll return the favor. I just - I need you now." I nodded dumbly. Without preamble, she sank down on me in one swift move. I groaned as she sighed, a look of contentment settling on her face.

She began to move over me, the feeling of her surrounding me the only sensation I could focus on. I placed my hands on her hips, but she grabbed them and moved them to cup her tits. I squeezed as she hissed. Her hands remained over mine, her movements speeding up. With a pillow under my head, I could easily watch where we were connected. Seeing her juices coat me as she moved was mesmerizing. I couldn't move my eyes away. Seeing my gaze, she leaned forward bracing herself on my chest and looked down as well.

"Oh god," she moaned breathily. "Yes." She kept one hand on my chest then reached down, circling her fingers around me.

"Fuck." I couldn't think straight as she squeezed me with her hand while I moved in and out of her. My control was slowly slipping away, but I wanted her there too. I moved one hand down to circle her clit just like she liked it.

"Shit. Yes!" Her movements became frantic as her walls fluttered around me. "Edward. Edward." She chanted my name causing me to speed up my movements, desperately seeking that high.

"Come for me." She fell forward as her body spasmed. I moved within her a few more times before the pressure became overwhelming, and the most pleasurable rush made its way through my body. I held her to me tightly as I came down from my high. Rolling to my side, I kept her nestled against me. My mind was a jumble, the feel of her the only thing that mattered at the moment. "I think you fucked me stupid." She tried to giggle, but she was still trying to catch her breath. Her movement caused her to rub against me. I groaned, still sensitive. Her eyes found mine, and she smiled lazily, but it was interrupted by a yawn.

"Can we sleep?" I nodded and pulled the blankets over us. Within minutes, she was out, her puffs of breath lightly fanning over my chest. I looked down at her face, so peaceful in the moonlight. My heart constricted at the sight. I wanted this every day, going to bed with her in my arms. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Sleep took me quickly.

The soft sound of the shower woke me. I hadn't even stirred when Bella got out of bed this morning. Perhaps that's because she'd worn me out after waking me during the night for rounds two and three. I smiled at the thought and stretched my sore muscles. I didn't lie there for long though and jumped up to join her. She let out a yelp when I wrapped my arms around her from behind.

"You left the bed," I stated the obvious. She leaned her head back against my shoulder.

"I have a fundoplication to repair a hiatal hernia in two hours," she said as she lifted her head and grabbed for the shampoo.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me."

She shook her head, and I could imagine she was rolling her eyes as well. I took the shampoo from her squirting some into my hand and massaged it into her hair. Her contented sigh filled the shower, and I took a few extra minutes to massage her scalp. Her hum of appreciation and quiet thanks was the only sound in the room. When the water ran clear, she turned to me and returned the gesture. Goosebumps sprung up on my arms at the feel of her hands on me. We rinsed the soap from our bodies and dried off, getting ready for the day in silence. It was comfortable, familiar even though we hadn't done this before. It just reaffirmed my thought from the previous night that I wanted this with her. Breakfast was nothing fancy, merely some toast and eggs. She thanked me for the food with a kiss. When she pulled away, I dragged her back to me for a lingering kiss. By 0700, we were walking out of the apartment.

"You leave this afternoon, right?" she asked quietly. Since we hadn't seen much movement on the Amari front, I'd been cleared for two weeks away, finally headed home to see my family. I was thrilled, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't looking forward to leaving Bella. Being the newest doc on base, she got the short-end of the stick and had to stay over the holiday.

"I do," I told her, the reluctance clear in my voice. "But I'm going to come see you at the hospital before I leave." She nodded, not looking at me. I lifted her chin until her eyes met mine. "I'm going to miss you." She smiled.

"I'm going to miss you too, but I'm glad you get to see your family. I know you miss them. And your mom is going to be over the moon to finally have her baby back home." I rolled my eyes. "Plus, you get to meet this girl that has your brother all mixed up." I smiled knowing that even though she was sad to see me go, she truly was happy for me to see my family. My chest tightened again.

"I love you." I waited for my heart to speed up, my pulse to race, for my body to feel like a live wire. But it didn't. Saying it felt so right, so simple. I loved her, loved her with everything I had. And it felt great to say the words. "Don't say anything. I don't want you to feel obligated. I can wait." She bit her lip, her brows furrowing. "I'll wait as long as you need me to Dr. Swan." I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. "I have to go. I'll see you around 1800." I kissed her one more time before turning and heading towards the training grounds. Within seconds, she grabbed my arm and spun me around to press her lips against mine.

"I love you too," she whispered, her eyes locked on mine.

"Yeah?" She nodded. I wrapped my arms around her and picked her up off the ground holding her tightly just reveling in the moment.

* * *

 **A/N 05/08/18: Good morning everyone! As a reminder, this was originally an entry for the Naughty or Nice Contest. As you can see, this is where Bella earned her Santa Baby Contest Award. ;) Also, if you are familiar with the one-shot, you see a large deviation from the original story here.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this, and I cannot WAIT to bring you the next chapter. We're hitting brand new material here, and it honestly makes me giddy inside. We're going to meet some new characters (Edward's family) and start seeing/hearing more about his missions. I'm nervous about that, because I want to get it right. My uncle can only tell me so much about his classified missions, so I'm using that along with research of my own. Let me know what y'all thought about this. Reviews were low last chapter, so I hope I'm not losing anyone. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"I love you too," she whispered, her eyes locked on mine._

" _Yeah?" She nodded. I wrapped my arms around her and picked her up off the ground holding her tightly just reveling in the moment._

* * *

It felt good once I stepped off the plane and was able to stretch my cramped legs. The last four hours of the flight felt like torture. As I made my way towards baggage claim, a few men stopped me to shake my hand and thank me for my service. I didn't mind this part. Most of them were veterans themselves. Finally, I arrived at carousel four as the belt began to move. Luckily, my bag was one of the first ones to arrive so I retrieved it and made my way outside intent on hailing a cab.

"Yo, Bro!" I turned at the exclamation with a smile. I'd recognize that voice anywhere, and even if that hadn't been a dead giveaway, he looked exactly as I remembered him. Standing at six foot, just two inches shorter than me, I could easily spot him in the crowd. He was grinning with dimples on full display, and the wind whipped around his slightly curly brown hair that looked like it needed a cut.

"Emmett, hey!" He pulled me into a hug, and I embraced him, happy to see his smiling face. "What are you doing here?"

"You know Mom's not going to let you cabbie it home." He pulled back and motioned to follow him with his head as he took my bag from me. "She's so excited to have you home. Be prepared to be attacked when you walk through the door."

"Last time I didn't even make it through the door." We both laughed. "So, what have you been up to? Tell me about school. Tell me about this chick." I watched in amusement as his cheeks tinged pink.

"Grad school's a bit tougher than I expected. The work is fine, not too difficult. Balancing that though with a full-time job," he shook his head, "it just gets a little rough sometimes." He tossed my bag in the bed of the truck before climbing in the driver's seat. I hopped in the passenger seat and he backed out of the spot.

"You mean full-time job AND a girl." I couldn't help but razz him further.

"Rosalie. Her name is Rosalie." He smiled at just the sound of her name. "She's great, Ed. You're going to love her."

"If she's captured your attention, I'm sure I will. I mean, she must be some kind of saint."

For the remainder of the ride, he told me about how he met her at the library. Emmett was working on his doctorate in applied mathematics and had gone to the library to work on his dissertation. Rosalie was working on her bachelor's of nursing and had chosen the library to study for a midterm. Both reached for the same book, one thing led to another, and ten months later he'd brought her home for Christmas.

"Well, I'm happy for you," I told him honestly. And I was. Having someone I loved made me even more happy for him, because I got it.

"Thanks." He turned into the driveway, parking behind a car I didn't recognize. "You ready for this?" I sighed as I slid out of the truck.

"Are you ever really ready for Mom?" Before he could answer, the front door swung open. I turned to find her standing in the doorway, vibrating with excitement as she tried to hold herself back. Her caramel-colored hair blew in the breeze, and her hazel eyes, Emmett's eyes, crinkled as she grinned. My smile stretched across my face. I really was happy to see her. "Come on, Ma. I know you're itching for it." She squealed and rushed down the stairs. I pulled her into my arms and lifted her off the ground as I squeezed her back.

"I'm so happy to have both my baby boys home," she sighed. I placed her back on the ground and she gripped my hand as she reached for Emmett's too. He obliged her for a second then turned her towards the house.

"Inside, Ma," he said with a chuckle. "He hasn't even stepped through the door. Sheesh! Let the man settle in."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just excited." She led us inside where Dad was making his way toward the foyer. He smiled widely at the sight of me.

"Hello, Son," he said as he pulled me into a hug which I returned.

"Hey, Old Man," I smirked as he pulled back. "Still kickin'?"

"He's still got moves you boys only dream of," Mom said with a chuckle as Emmett and I yelled at her, trying to bleach the image from our minds.

"It's good to see you in one piece," Dad said with a chuckle. "Now let's see where you had to get those stitches." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm fine." He leveled me with that look, the 'Dad look' which no child could deny their parent afterwards. I pulled up the sleeve. "See. No issues." He turned my arm, examining the wound. It had healed nicely, and over the next few months I expected the scar to disappear completely.

"Really neat work on the sutures." I nodded with a smile. My girl was good. "I guess the young Dr. Swan is good enough to take care of simple sutures." Good enough for simple sutures? I felt a small spike of anger.

"She's better than just simple sutures. Just because she's young doesn't mean you can discount her. She's brilliant." I could see the surprise and question in his eyes but wasn't ready for that conversation. "So, what's for dinner?" Distraction was the name of the game. "I'm starved."

"I wasn't sure what you would be in the mood for," Mom said. "I made a few things."

"It was more than a few things, Mrs. Cullen," a soft voice said in laughter from the living room. I turned to find a tall, blonde standing in the doorway. Her hair was pulled back in a bun held in place by a pencil with thin wire-rimmed glasses perched on top of her head. She wore jeans, an MIT shirt two sizes too big, and socks on her feet.

"It's Esme. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Emmett moved around us to stand next to the girl.

"Rosalie, this is my brother, Edward," he said nervously as he pulled her forward a few steps. "Ed, this is Rosalie. My fiancée." My brows rose in surprise as I reached forward to shake her hand.

"Nice to meet you finally," she said with a slight tremor in her voice giving her nerves away.

"It's nice to finally meet you too. I've heard so much about you." I turned to look at my brother with his impish grin. "Fiancée?" He nodded enthusiastically. "Well." I pulled her forward and wrapped her in a hug. "Congratulations you two." I felt the tension in her shoulders drain away as she hugged me back. I released her only to pull my brother into another hug, then wrapped my arm around his head to give him a noogie. "I can't believe you kept this from me." Everyone laughed except my brother who whined.

"Let me go, asshat," his muffled voice was strained.

"Emmett!" Mom's sharp voice rang over our laughter. "Be nice to your brother!"

"My little brother's growing up." I finally released him and he tried to fix his hair, his face red in embarrassment. Rosalie reached up to help brush his hair back into place, and I looked around at everyone. My heart felt full. "Man is it good to be home."

* * *

 **A/N 05/11/18: Hello everyone - I hope you enjoyed the first look into Edward's family. We'll see more of them next chapter. I'd appreciate you letting me know what to think.**


	14. Chapter 14

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"My little brother's growing up." I finally released him and he tried to fix his hair, his face red in embarrassment. Rosalie reached up to help brush his hair back into place, and I looked around at everyone. My heart felt full. "Man is it good to be home."_

* * *

The third day home, Emmett and I went out to spend some time together. Even though we were eight years apart, we'd always been close growing up, and I missed him. We spent a few hours at the park, playing football with some of the guys we hadn't seen in a while. I smiled as I imagined Bella here. She wasn't cheering me on in the scenario though; she was right next me, a part of the action. She said she loved football, both watching and playing it. I wouldn't want her to play with this group though. They were pretty rough, and I wouldn't want her to get hurt.

Once everyone had gone, Emmett and I took a seat on the ground to rest for a moment before heading home.

"Do you ever think about coming back?" Emmett's voice was quiet, contemplative.

"To Chesapeake?" I clarified. He nodded then leaned back on his arms, waiting for my answer as I pondered it for a moment.

"I didn't used to. It was different for me growing up here. Everyone expected me to follow in Dad's footsteps, become a doctor, settle down." I shook my head at the thought. "That definitely wasn't me. I lived in that shadow for years and couldn't get out of here fast enough." Everything I said was true. But things were different now. I was different now. "Lately though, I've thought about it. I understand this is a great little community, a great place to raise a family." I sighed. "Maybe one day I'll come back. It'd be nice to be close to you guys again. You're not too far away."

"Dude, it takes me 12 hours to get here." He laughed, but I just looked at him.

"Right now, I'm half a world away." He sobered at the reminder and slowly nodded. "Come on; let's get home. Mom won't be happy if we spend all our time away." We stood and headed back to his truck.

"Rosie and I have talked about coming here once we're done with school." I couldn't contain the smile. "Her family…she doesn't have such a great relationship with them. They've never really been close, and she wants that. Her and Mom have hit it off, and like you said, this is a great place to raise a family. I think it'll be a smart choice for us." I reached over and punched his arm. "Shit, man. Why do you do that?" He rubbed his arm as I chuckled. "It's like you forget your own strength. Stop it."

"It's just weird to see my baby brother growing up." I waited for him to unlock the doors before climbing inside. "I'm happy for ya, man."

From there, we went straight home. Emmett told me more about Rosalie, about their plans for after college. Apparently, the idea of moving back was more than just a thought. They'd already been looking at houses and jobs in the area. Emmett had a job lined up if he wanted it with Oceaneering. He'd gone to undergrad at MIT with someone that was working there now. With his PhD, the friend said he'd be a shoe-in. All I could do was shake my head at how much his life was moving forward.

It was nearing lunchtime when we arrived back home. Dad was in the living room with patient charts stacked on the table in front of him. Mom was in the kitchen putting something together, and Rosalie was with her. She was watching intently, taking notes in a spiral on the kitchen island. Emmett walked over and kissed her temple. She pushed him away lightly.

"Don't interrupt us," Rosalie admonished, but it was half-hearted. "I'm learning how to make your mom's chicken salad."

"Emmett," Mom said distractedly, "go set the table. Edward, get drinks poured for everyone. Carlisle, wrap up your work. We're eating in a few minutes." A chorus of "Yes, Dear" and "Yes, Mom"s rang out making Rosalie giggle. Not too long after, we were all sitting around the table enjoying the meal.

"Now, tell me – you got a girl over there?" Emmett asked after I'd refilled my plate with a second helping. "I mean I know you're like, in the middle of the desert, but there have got to be a few women in camp."

"There are a few women." I glanced around to see Mom side-eyeing me slyly.

"And? Any caught your eye?"

"There may be someone." Mom squealed and clapped her hands.

"I knew it!" She turned to Dad. "Didn't I tell you there was a girl? You owe me $50." I shook my hands and head.

"Wait, wait, wait. You bet on me?" Rosalie giggled as she looked at Mom with a hand over her mouth.

"Of course not." Mom smirked. "We bet on your love life, to be precise. Now, tell me all about her." I shook my head and sighed. I didn't know how to respond to my mother sometimes. "Come on, come on. Tell me, tell me, tell me. My eldest has someone special for the first time in…I don't even know how long. I want to know about her. What's her name? Is she pretty? Does she make you happy?" I couldn't stop the wide smile from spreading across my face.

"Her name's Bella. She's beautiful, and she makes me crazy happy." Mom crossed her arms over her chest and sighed sappily as she leaned her head against Dad's shoulder.

"Bella? Why does that sound familiar?" Dad asked.

"She's the doctor that treated me." Recognition lit his face quickly followed by a look of apology.

"Dr. Isabella Swan." I nodded.

"She's brilliant. Dad, you're the one that told me that. But you should see her. She's wicked smart, but she's down to earth too. She likes football, playing card games, and cooking when she has time. Then I find her curled up in a chair reading medical journals and text books of all things. She gets so animated about her job, about the surgeries she gets to perform, about the adrenaline rush when an emergency is brought in. Plus, she loves to hear about you guys. She's probably itching to hear all about you, Rose. She was so excited to hear Emmett found someone." I could only smile thinking about her.

"My baby's in love," Mom said dreamily. My ears grew warm, but the smile stayed on my face.

"I am." I looked around to find everyone smiling at me. "You'll love her too."

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, I shuffled into the kitchen hoping to find some cookies, brownies, anything sweet. Nothing sat on the counter, so I opened the fridge and hit the jackpot. There on the bottom shelf behind some to-go containers, where Mom _thought_ it was hidden, was an untouched banana pudding. I pulled it from the fridge and opened the drawer to get a fork.

"Grab two," I heard my dad say from behind me. We spent the next few minutes eating straight out of the dish. Mom would be upset, but I'd blame Emmett. "Sometimes I forget you've grown up." I looked at Dad like he had a second head. "I mean, I know you're older, but I still see you as my little boy the first time you broke your arm after falling out Aunt Carmen's tree." We both laughed at the memory.

"The first of many," I reminded him. He nodded and fell back silent.

"Even then, it was hard to trust someone else to care for you." I nodded already knowing that. He never was good at letting someone else take the reigns when it came to me or Emmett's health. "I don't want you to think I doubt Dr. Swan…Bella. I believe she's good." I looked over at him.

"She's more than good, Dad."

"I know. I know." He looked at me with an apologetic smile. "But you're my son. No one's good enough." I understood what he was saying. It had nothing to do with Bella; he would have felt that way about any doctor trying to take care of me.

"Just wait until you meet her." I laid my fork in the sink and started heading back to bed. "You'll see."

"I have no doubt I will."

* * *

 **A/N 05/13/18: Good morning my friends! I hope you enjoyed seeing some brother bonding, and some future planning. I also hope this helps clear up some doubts about Carlisle that a few readers expressed. He's a dad AND a doctor. He's a bit protective over his children. He doesn't necessarily doubt Let me know what you think about this chapter.**


	15. Chapter 15

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"She's more than good, Dad."_

" _I know. I know." He looked at me with an apologetic smile. "But you're my son. No one's good enough." I understood what he was saying. It had nothing to do with Bella; he would have felt that way about any doctor trying to take care of me._

" _Just wait until you meet her." I laid my fork in the sink and started heading back to bed. "You'll see."_

" _I have no doubt I will."_

* * *

It was Christmas Eve, and I couldn't be more excited. We'd spent the last few days decking out the house. Garland was wrapped around the banister, draped over the kitchen cabinets, and framed the doorways. Lights were strung on the tree, 2,400 of them this year, and I'd even attached them to the ceiling so when you laid on the floor, it was like looking at the stars. Mom was busy strategically placing mistletoe around the house, a tradition I could do without. The tradition itself wasn't bad, but Mom took it a step too far and even made the guys kiss if caught. I'd have to keep an eye out when walking through doorways.

"Edward," Rosalie called from behind me. "Can you help me?" I turned to see her standing on her tiptoes, trying to hang Christmas ornaments from some family photos. I'd never done that before, but it was a great idea.

"Of course," I told her as I took the orb, reached up, and hung it just two inches higher than she could reach.

"Now this one." She pointed at the photo of Emmett and I from just before he started at MIT for his undergraduate degree. "Right there, please." She giggled as she looked at the photo more closely. "He's so cute." I snorted.

"You must really love him to say that." Her cheeks tinged pink. I wasn't trying to embarrass her, but it was easily done. I'd have to remember that for future reference.

"Now this one." We continued until she was happy with the result. My heart tugged when she nodded at the end result, her glasses slipping further down her nose. It reminded me so much of Bella in that moment. I missed her more than I thought I would. "So, Bella. Is she into Christmas like you too?"

"I'll get her there eventually." She snorted daintily.

We eventually moved from the hallway to the living room where she had me hang more ornaments from pictures on the wall. She could have reached these easily, but I let her direct me. I was enjoying talking to and getting to know my future sister-in-law. We talked about her schooling, how she and Emmett met. The story was much more elaborate from her. I laughed at her retelling, of how bumbling Emmett was – just as I'd imagined him. She was a doll for seeing through that and to the heart of my brother. I had a feeling we were going to get along great. My heart ached to be closer to my family, here in Virginia. My impending decision, to leave the Army or stay, was only becoming more difficult.

"Movie time!" Emmett's exclamation was loud as he barreled around the corner, picked Rosalie up by the waist, and threw her over his shoulder. She protested and hit his back lightly but was giggling the entire time. "Come on, Babe. Let's go make popcorn. We can string while we watch."

He walked out of the living room without setting her down. Mom and Dad came through the doorway smiling fondly. I groaned as Dad reached forward and pinched Mom on the ass, and she giggled. They both laughed at me, Mom reaching over to swat my arm. She told me to get blankets from the hall closet as she and Dad gathered pillows to throw onto the floor. Christmas Eve tradition – we would pile onto the pallet, turn off all the lights, string popcorn to be wrapped around the tree while watching It's A Wonderful Life. After that, we'd go to bed and wake up bright and early to open presents. I smiled as Emmett and Rosalie sat down with four large bowls of popcorn.

"Someone's phone is ringing," Mom said a bit annoyed. "You know the rules. No phones during the movie."

"It's mine," I said as I hurried out of the room to answer it. An unknown number flashed on the screen, but I had to answer it. Hazard of the job. "Edward."

"Captain," the Commander's voice caused my spine to stiffen. If he was calling, it could only mean one thing. "I'm very sorry to interrupt your leave." I shook my head.

"It's fine, sir," I answered in a clipped tone.

"I hate to do this, but I need you back. Charlie Company intercepted a transmission that puts our guy at a known location. If it's to be trusted, he'll be there for at least another four days. We need to grab and bag him." I was already scanning my brain, putting together a plan of action for the most likely location, ready to adapt if my guess at the location was wrong. "I need you to get to Norfolk. I have a transport waiting for you. With any luck, you'll be back in less than 18 hours. I've got the rest of your team squared away. Sleep on the plane. Hopefully we can have all this put behind us within 48 hours."

"Yes, sir." We spent the next few minutes finalizing details of my travel arrangements before ending the call. When I turned around, I found Mom leaning against the wall with a sad smile on her face. "I'm guessing you heard that." She nodded.

"Have to go, huh?" she said quietly. I nodded. "The damn Army can't even give you one holiday." This was an old argument, one I'd learned not to argue against, because I wasn't going to win with her.

"You know I can't give you details, but I promise this is necessary. Next time I come home, we'll watch the movie okay? No matter the time of year, Mom, we'll watch." She smiled.

"Fine." She walked over and pulled me into her arms. I picked her up and hugged her tightly as she giggled. "Put me down, you big oaf! Sounds like you've got a plane to catch."

* * *

 **A/N: 05/16/18 So back to reality for Edward - ugh! But that also means back to Bella! Mixed emotions for him, I'm sure. Let me know what you thought. Did you like Rosalie and Edward bonding? Did you like to see a bit more of our guy's favorite holiday?**


	16. Chapter 16

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"You know I can't give you details, but I promise this is necessary. Next time I come home, we'll watch the movie okay? No matter the time of year, Mom, we'll watch." She smiled._

" _Fine." She walked over and pulled me into her arms. I picked her up and hugged her tightly as she giggled. "Put me down, you big oaf! Sounds like you've got a plane to catch."_

* * *

The next few days were hectic. Within an hour, I was packed and Emmett had driven me to Norfolk Naval Base. A cargo plan was headed to Kabul where I took a motorcade to the base. Once we arrived, I headed straight to the office to be briefed so I could begin mapping out the mission. Two hours later, Jasper came walked in, sat down, and without a word, began pulling together a supply list based on my outlined plan. Over the next five hours, Newton, Isenburg, Cheney, and O'Malley filtered in. There wasn't a peep of complaint; we were all ready for this to be over. For that to happen, this was necessary.

We worked through the night hashing out our plans. As 0600 approached, I sent the team away to sleep and told them to be back at 1700. Since this was going to be a night mission, we needed to get our bodies on the right clock. Jasper and I stayed behind just long enough to put in orders for the supplies and to have Charlie Company set up the training field for us. I told Jasper to head out, and I made my way to Bella's. I wouldn't be able to spend much time with her, but I wanted to see her. I'd missed her fiercely. I would have gone to see her first, but time was of the essence. At 0630, I knocked on her apartment door hoping she hadn't already gone to the hospital.

"Edward!" Bella exclaimed as she jumped into my arms. I caught her with a laugh, but it was cut short as she pressed her lips to mine. I kissed her back, but eventually pulled away. "Merry Christmas!" Her bright smile made my heart clench.

"You're a day late, Baby," I said with a chuckle.

"Not in Chesapeake time." I smiled at the realization she'd been calculating our time difference. I couldn't help myself and pushed her against the open door as I kissed her thoroughly. When I pulled away, her lips moved to my neck. "Come inside. I don't have to be at the hospital until tomorrow." I groaned, fighting my growing desire for her.

"I want nothing more." I set her down and put some space between our bodies. "But I have to get some sleep." I couldn't believe I was turning her down. "I've got a mission soon, and-"

"Stop." She smiled at me, and I could detect no sadness or anger. "I get it; I promise. Why don't you come in and we'll sleep – _just sleep_. I just got off an overnight shift, so I can rest too. When your mission is over, we'll pick up again. Okay?" I looked at her with skepticism.

"Seriously?" She smiled, grabbed my arms, and pulled me forward to kiss me chastely.

"Promise. You have a job to do, and I'm not going to interfere with that. I support you 100%, just like you do for me." I cupped her face and kissed her softly.

"I love you." She smiled widely.

"I know. I love you, too." She pulled me inside and to the bed. "What time do you need to be up?"

"Set the alarm for 1530. That should give me enough time."

I shed everything but my boxers and climbed under the covers. When she was done setting the alarm clock, she pulled what I finally noticed was one of my shirts over her head and climbed in beside me in just a sports bra and underwear. If it were any other situation, I would have been all over her like white on rice. But I _was_ tired, and I _did_ need to be back at the office this afternoon. Once she pulled the covers over us, she turned away from me and wriggled backwards until her body was pressed tightly against mine. I wrapped my arm around her and sighed in contentment. This was perfect.

What felt like both hours and just minutes later, I was woken by a feather-light caress on my chest. It took a minute to fully awaken. Once I did, I opened my eyes to find the most gorgeous sight greet me. Bella was hovering over my body, her lips trailing kisses over my chest. She looked up at me through her lashes and smiled when she saw me looking back. I reached down to gather her hair in one hand so I could watch her beautiful eyes and face.

"Good morning," she said quietly then lightly bit my nipple. I groaned as I felt myself grow hard. "This is your wakeup call."

"Best. Wakeup call. Ever." She giggled at my exclamation then sat up, her lower half resting on mine.

"Do you need to go?" I looked over at the clock to see it was only 1515. I couldn't stop the smirk as I looked back at her.

"I've got a few minutes." She squealed before leaning down to attack my mouth voraciously.

"I'll make it quick but worth your while." The gleam in her eye told me she would.

An hour later, I sat on the edge of the bed trying to pull my clothes back on. Bella was wrapped around me from behind, her hands blazing a trail over my chest, and down my abs. Her lips moved languidly over my back, the ends of her hair tickling my waist. I grabbed her hands, pulled them up to lay a kiss on her palm, and held them against me to stop the lovely torture. I turned enough to kiss her pouting lips.

"I would love nothing more than to stay here wrapped around you, but I have to go," I told her honestly. She sighed.

"I know." She rolled away from me and underestimated how far the bed went. I turned around and laughed when I found her sprawled on the floor. She snorted then joined in on the laughter.

"Come here." I walked over, held out my hand, and pulled her off the floor. She wound her arms around my neck, and I kissed her. "I'll be back as soon as I can, but I'll probably be tied up for the next few days with this mission." She smiled at me.

"I'm just glad I got a few hours with you. I have another overnight shift tomorrow, 12 hours off, then a 24-hour shift. Then, finally, gloriously, I have 48 hours off before I'm needed again. Baring any emergencies, of course." I smiled widely.

"That means I get you for New Year's Eve." She tried for an aloof look, but I could see the happiness and excitement in her eyes.

"I guess you'll do." I nipped her lips before pulling away and walking backwards for the door.

"Damn straight, Baby." She twisted her leg with hands behind her back. I snapped a mental picture to keep me company in the coming days.

* * *

 **A/N 05/20/18 Hey everyone. Back to the grind for our favorite guy, but a little pick-me-up from our favorite doctor! I hope you're enjoying the new material. Let me know what you think of these two and any theories/thoughts/questions you may have. I love talking with y'all!**

 **Also, this story has been voted as one of the favorite Fic Dive Stories for Mar/Apr over at A Different Forest! I don't know how that works or who did it, but I'm very grateful and honored!**


	17. Chapter 17

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _That means I get you for New Year's Eve." She tried for an aloof look, but I could see the happiness and excitement in her eyes._

" _I guess you'll do." I nipped her lips before pulling away and walking backwards for the door._

" _Damn straight, Baby." She twisted her leg with hands behind her back. I snapped a mental picture to keep me company in the coming days._

* * *

The night sky was as black as it could get on this new moon night. The darkness covered our movement as we inched closer to the warehouse. Intel indicated Amari was inside with a small contingency of guards. Bravo Company was five clicks away taking care of the group that was planning to bomb an apartment building. The insurgents would be sorely disappointed when our men busted up that party.

Without speaking, we split up to move to our different assigned entry points. With watches synced, we had two minutes till breach. I took up watch over my entrance and waited quietly for the mark. At the assigned time, I took a deep breath and moved as stealthily as possible inside. No one was stationed at this entrance, so I moved through the rooms, clearing them quickly and quietly. When I moved into the fourth room, I found a man watching the other entrance. I moved to him without being detected and pulled him into a chokehold. Within minutes, he had passed out, so I moved his body out of sight.

At the sound of one of my team resorting to gunfire, though silenced, I hurried through my part of the plan. If I heard the muffled sound, surely one of Amari's men had too. Soon, I met up with Newton and O'Malley and we made our way to the rear of the warehouse. Just as we were nearing the last area that hadn't been cleared, a shot rang out. And it wasn't ours. We hurried toward the fight. Upon arrival, I assessed the area and found three of Amari's men hiding behind crates. My men were pinned down behind some barrels, and I was very concerned about what was inside. I wasn't willing to risk it.

"Take 'em out," I gave the order over the comms. Three shots later, the gunfire ceased. We moved to regroup with the rest of the team. "Sharp shooting," I told Jasper who nodded.

"We've cleared the building," Cheney said. "He's not here."

"Check again." It was probably futile, but they obeyed the order immediately. I moved to the men on the floor to double check that they were truly out of commission. Finding no pulse, I relaxed slightly knowing they wouldn't ambush us. Fifteen minutes later, we were leaving the building headed to the evacuation spot. We were met with no resistance, and within thirty minutes, we loaded onto the helo, we were taking off and headed back to base.

"We'll get him, Cap," Newton said from my left. "Today just wasn't the day." I nodded once still frustrated with the dead end.

After reaching the base, we unloaded the helicopter, passing our gear to Charlie Company. I could see Bravo Company at another hanger and hoped their night was better than ours. I didn't have time to ask though, because we had to debrief. The Commander was severely upset, not with us but with the Intel. This wasn't the first time we'd come up short, but according to him, it was going to be the last. At least the night wasn't a complete failure though. He told us Bravo Company was able to stop the bombing and take a few hostages as well. They'd be… _interviewed_ to see if we could obtain any useful information. I wouldn't be surprised if we began preparing for another mission within the week.

Once we were dismissed, I told the guys to take some time off. We'd get started again on the 1st, and hopefully by that time, we'd have some actionable Intel. Jasper stuck around while I finished up the paperwork. Eventually, I ran him out to get some rest too. I'm sure he wanted to call his wife. He'd been pulled away from his vacation early like me, and I bet Alice was worried about him. Even though he didn't want to leave me by myself, that was the convincing factor. He left to make his phone call.

A few hours later, paperwork submitted, I left and made my way to Bella's. It was probably too early for her to be off shift, but it wouldn't hurt to check. I was surprised to find her in the apartment cooking. She greeted me enthusiastically, took one look at my face, and pulled me inside. She sat me on the couch, got a bottle of water for each of us, then curled into my side. She didn't say a word, just held herself close to me. For the first time since the mission, I felt myself relax, even if just minutely.

"It'll work out next time," she said softly after a few minutes of silence. I turned to kiss the top of her head since she was resting on my shoulder.

"It will," I agreed. I'd make damn sure it did. I was tired of Amari getting the upper hand, of him being one step ahead of us each time.

We remained on the couch for at least an hour before I stood and pulled her toward the bed. Within minutes, I was passed out with Bella on my chest. When I woke up, I could tell I hadn't been asleep for long, because Bella was still dead to the world on my chest. I could feel her steady breaths washing over my skin. The sensation was calming. I would never get enough of the feel of her in my arms. I leaned down and pressed my lips to her head, breathing in her scent. It meant so much that she was there for me. There was no need for words. She didn't apologize; she didn't try to get me to talk about it. She was just _there_. She was comfort; she was encouragement. She was my world. I looked at the clock and smiled before turning back to the beauty next to me.

"Happy New Year, Baby."

* * *

 **A/N 05/23/18: I would like to know what you think about the update. It's not what people were expecting based on your previous reviews.**

 **I have a more important request of you today though. Today, I am heartbroken for a friend. A woman I went to college with lost her husband. John* leaves behind Jane* and their three daughters, ages 4, 7, and 9. They have been together since they were teenagers and only had 16 years together (10 married) on this earth. This couple has been a large inspiration for this story as John is an officer in the Army, and Jane is one of the most supportive Army wives I have ever met. Please pray for, or send happy thoughts to, this family during this tragic time. I cannot even imagine what they are going through at this moment. And please forgive me if it takes a while to post after this. I'm having a hard time writing with this fresh on my mind.**


	18. Chapter 18

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _I leaned down and pressed my lips to her head, breathing in her scent. It meant so much that she was there for me. There was no need for words. She didn't apologize; she didn't try to get me to talk about it. She was just_ there _. She was comfort; she was encouragement. She was my world. I looked at the clock and smiled before turning back to the beauty next to me._

" _Happy New Year, Baby."_

* * *

The past month had crawled by at a snail's pace. From what I understood, the Commander had teams working around the clock to find Amari. Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie Companies spent every day in training. When the time came, when the Intel was good, we'd be ready. He'd gotten away too many times. There wouldn't be another.

It had been a particularly long day at the training grounds. My team was ready. We moved with one mind, each person reading the other and adjusting accordingly. I'd also watched Bravo and Charlie. They were ready too. We were as fine-tuned as we were going to get. The anxiousness, though, is what would do us in if we didn't have actionable information soon.

That night, I went to Bella's for dinner. I tried to be better company, but I was exhausted – both physically and mentally. Not only was my mind constantly occupied with thoughts of our upcoming mission, whenever that may be, but my impending decision was weighing on me. My contract was up in four months, and I needed to decide if I was signing up for more or getting out. Bella was wonderful, being with me but not pushing. I was a poor excuse for company though. After an hour of basically ignoring her, Bella guided me to the couch, pushed me down, and told me to talk. I told her about the decision I just couldn't make.

"I don't know what to do," I told her honestly. "I enlisted right out of high school, completed officer school as soon as I could, joined the special forces, and have been doing this ever since. This is all I am." She looked at me bewildered. "I wanted to talk to you about it, get your thoughts. What do you think I should do?"

"Me?" she said, baffled that I'd even ask. I was kind of expecting that though. "Why would you want my opinion? This is your life, Edward. It has to be a decision with which you can live." I took her hand in mine.

"It's important that we both be comfortable with this decision, Bella. I love you. You mean everything to me. This choice affects the future, _our_ future. You deserve a say in this too." She bit her lip in nervousness, the weight of this conversation reflected in her eyes. She opened her mouth a few times without saying a word. I gave her time to digest what I'd said.

"Okay." I tempered my grin, happy she finally understood how important she was to me. "Why don't you know what you want to do? What is it that has you waffling?"

"It would be four more years; that's quite a bit more time. If I stay, I'll be 37 the next time this decision comes around. I already feel like I'm missing so much of my families' lives. Emmett's getting married, will probably have a kid within the next few years. Mom and Dad want me home; they make that perfectly clear every time the subject gets brought up. Plus…" I looked at her closely to make sure I was clear. "I'll most likely be stationed here again. Your contract is up in eight months, and you'll pick a new location. I won't get to see you as often." Her eyes grew glassy before she looked away to clear the emotion from her face, something I so rarely got to see.

"Okay. Well, first, 37 is not old. That's an invalid argument." I guess that was true. That's why I wanted to talk to her; she would pull no punches. "In the grand scheme of things, four years isn't that long. You've done so much more than that. Yes, Emmett's getting married. Yes, he will probably start a family within a few years. However, their child won't remember the first few years of its life. By the time their memory starts to take hold, you could be home. You do a great job of keeping up with them as much as you can, and I don't see that changing. Now your parents." She wrapped her arm around mine and leaned her head against my shoulder. "You have to remember that you will always be their baby boy. They'll never be able to look at this unbiasedly. They love you and want nothing more than to protect you. They can't do that with this career choice, so you have to take their advice and carefully respond." She grew quiet.

"And you?" I asked after a few moments of silence. She looked up at me.

"I love you. I will love you no matter what you decide. If you decide to do four more years, I will support you – 100%. No matter where you end up or where I end up, we will make this work. I promise." I pulled her to me to press my lips against hers. "Plus, four more years gives you 20 total. You could retire with a full pension at that time. That's…huge." I nodded. That was honestly the biggest plus for me. "Now, have you considered doing the four years stateside?" _Stateside?_

"I don't exactly get a choice of where I will serve." She moved back so she was still close but could look at me better. I turned my body sideways to look at her straight-on.

"You love what you do, leading your team, teaching them what they need to know. We've talked about this before. You thrive as a leader. Why not take that passion, that invaluable knowledge, and teach? Have you thought about becoming a SERE School instructor?" My brows rose at her suggestion. I can't believe I'd never thought about that. She was right, teaching the guys, leading them, that was the most enjoyable part of this gig. Why couldn't I take that and translate it into a job? "When do you have to decide?"

"Technically, my tour's up in May. I really need to tell the Commander before that though, especially if I want to try for… _instructor._ " She smiled at the incredulity in my voice. "I guess I should let him know by March, so four weeks." She took my hands in hers.

"Talk to your team. Talk to the Commander. Once you have a better idea of what you want to do, talk to your parents." I rolled my eyes knowing how _that_ conversation would go, but Bella leveled me with a stern look. "Talk to your parents. I think they'll surprise you when you approach them with a plan."

* * *

 **A/N 05/27/18: A tiny bit of a time jump, and a very important discussion. Bella's opening Edward's eyes to knew possibilities, showing him that there's more to him than he realizes. And I love that she's pushing him to talk to his parents. How often do we 'already know' how a conversation is going to go only to be proved wrong? Others tend to see that relationship with a clearer mind. Let me know what you think of the idea of Edward as an instructor. Can you see it; is it a stretch?**

 **Update on my friends Jane and John - Jane will be staying with her family in North Carolina. However, since John was not a resident of the state, they were not granted an exception for his burial at the veteran's cemetery. Therefore, he will be buried in Arlington. That comes with its own set of challenges. It will be months before the ceremony can take place. So the family sits in limbo for now. And the girls...they wanted daddy closer so there's that struggle as well. Please keep them in your prayers as they navigate their new life.**


	19. Chapter 19

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _Talk to your team. Talk to the Commander. Once you have a better idea of what you want to do, talk to your parents." I rolled my eyes knowing how that conversation would go, but Bella leveled me with a stern look. "Talk to your parents. I think they'll surprise you when you approach them with a plan."_

* * *

All I could think about over the next week was Bella's comment. _Have you thought about becoming a SERE School instructor?_ How had I _not_ thought of that before? The idea of leaving my team, my guys, didn't sit well with me. I had a responsibility to my men. Not leaving the Army but leaving them left a bad taste in my mouth. But then I did what Bella said and talked to them. Cheney and O'Malley brushed it off, said they were just waiting for me to say something. Newton thought it was a great idea. Isenberg told me he didn't like it, but he understood. He was the worst on the team at dealing with change, so I wasn't surprised by his reaction. Jasper, though, surprised me the most.

"Thank God," Jasper breathed after I told him what I was considering.

"What?" The astonishment was evident in my voice.

"I mean, I'm going to support whatever you decide." We were in the office working on some paperwork when I finally decided to talk to him. I sat back in my chair, and he turned toward me leaning against the desk. "Aly and I have been talking about what the future looks like for us – where we'll be, what we'll be doing in a few years. We, uh…we want kids…soon." He chuckled at the admission, and I smirked. I always knew Jasper was going to make a great dad. It was nice to hear him finally moving that direction. "I don't want to put a kid through this, wondering where his dad is, worried I won't come home." I nodded. That was a concern we all had when we signed up for this. "I wouldn't leave you high and dry, but if you go stateside, I can get out when the contract is up."

"Jasper, you can't consider me when making a decision like that. If you want to go – go!" He shrugged and turned around to focus on his paperwork.

"You saved my life…twice. I owe you." And that was that. I could have argued with him, but honestly, I would have done the same thing. "So, have you talked to Bella about this?" I went back to working on the paperwork in front of me.

"It was actually her idea." He laughed, so I bundled up a scarp piece of paper and threw it hitting him in the back of the head. "Don't be a douche."

"I laugh, because I'm not surprised. She seems to get you, better than you get yourself."

It was true. We may have only known each other for four months, but she understood me on a level no one besides my family ever had. Sometimes, I thought she knew me even better than them. Maybe she just saw me differently, without the biases they had, because they'd seen me grow up.

"Have you talked to your parents yet?" Jasper asked after a few minutes of silence. I sighed at the thought.

"Not yet. I wanted to talk to you and the guys first, wrap my head around what I thought I might do first. I want to be prepared when I talk to them. They won't change my mind; I just need to be ready for it."

"I know what you-"

The sound of an explosion brought us to our feet. It sounded too far away to be the training grounds but too close for comfort. We made our way outside as we were joined by others in the building. When we breached the door, there was a cloud of smoke high in the sky to the east.

"That looks like it's on base," Jasper said to no one in particular. My heart sped up a bit. The doors being flung open caused us all to turn.

"It's the hospital," Major Yorkie said making the dread in me grow. "It's been bombed. Get there. Everyone. I need every hand I can get." I didn't wait to hear more and took off at a sprint for my office, grabbing my weapon. Jasper was right behind me, arming himself. When we got outside, we flagged down the nearest Humvee to hitch a ride.

"She's gonna be alright," Jasper said quietly, trying to reassure me. I could feel that something was wrong though.

The closer we got, the more my stomach churned. The smoke was thick, and I could see debris littering the road. The building was on fire, and the scene was chaotic. We were out of the transport before it parked, running towards the building with weapons drawn. If someone got a bomb inside the base, they could still be on the base as well. Five, seven minutes at the most, had passed since the explosion, but it felt like a lifetime. Anything could have happened during that time.

We made our way inside, Jasper watching the left as I watched the right. I directed him down the west hall towards the surgical suites. She'd be there treating any wounded. The place was a mess. Supplies, charts, and all sorts of things were scattered around. Staff members were treating people where they stood or lay as the case may be. I saw William sitting against a wall, his head held in his hand as blood spilled from a gash on his forehead.

"William," I said as I knelt down beside him. I grabbed a cloth from nearby, tilted his head back, and applied pressure to the wound. "Can you hear me okay?" He looked up, but his eyes had trouble focusing on me. "William, talk to me."

"Captain Cullen?" he rasped then coughed. I nodded in affirmation. "She...she was...in surgery." I started to stand, but he gripped me though it was weak. "I tried to stop them. I tried, I promise, but they hit me with their gun."

"Stop them?" My fear spiked. "Stop them from what?"

"They took her." I froze. "They took Dr. Swan."

* * *

 **A/N 05/30/18: Dun, dun, dun...Some of you knew this was coming (at least something of this nature), but I think I might have surprised some with the timing. Let me know what you think.**

 **I have the story fully written now, so you should see steady updates on Sundays and Wednesdays unless RL happens and throws off my plans. That means I can also start thinking about/working on outtakes. Are there any you would like to see? If so, let me know what and from whose POV you're interested in reading it. I might be able to work something out.**


	20. Chapter 20

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"Captain Cullen?" he rasped then coughed. I nodded in affirmation. "She...she was...in surgery." I started to stand, but he gripped me though it was weak. "I tried to stop them. I tried, I promise, but they hit me with their gun."_

 _"Stop them?" My fear spiked. "Stop them from what?"_

 _"They took her." I froze. "They took Dr. Swan."_

* * *

As soon as William told us of Bella's abduction, Jasper grabbed me before I could bolt. I was seconds away from ordering him to let me go, but he stopped me, explaining that if we went to the Commander, he could mobilize more people to look for Bella in an organized manner. As much as I wanted to run off and find her now, I knew he was right. We rushed to the Commander to report the incident. Immediately, he ordered my team to the briefing room to begin searching for her remotely. Bravo Company had been tasked with searching the base for other bombs, and Charlie Company was dispatched to search the grounds for the intruders and Bella. I wanted to be with Charlie Company.

Once my team arrived, Cheney jumped on the computer, pulling up every surveillance feed available. It didn't take long for him to find the video from the hospital had been a total loss. The cameras were destroyed by the bombing, and I could only imagine we would lose the servers in the fire they were currently fighting. If the servers didn't burn, they'd be fried from the water the firefighters were using to contain the flames.

There were cameras on the perimeter, though, and those were still functional. Cheney brought four different footage feeds onto a monitor and played them in reverse from the current time. Within minutes, we found her. I sat down, my leg bouncing as I watched the playback. On the east side of the base, furthest away from the hospital, three men in our uniforms surrounded Bella. She was moving of her own strength, but her movements were choppy, unsteady. Every few feet, she stumbled or swayed. Was she injured from the bombing? My heart raced at the thought. Did they drug her? If they had, I would hurt them. Slowly.

We watched as one of the men pushed her violently when she stumbled into him. My anger simmered as she fell to the ground, clearly unable to keep herself upright. Another man reached down and yanked her back to her feet. He didn't release his grip on her arm but pulled a gun from his pack and pressed it to her lower back. I swore as I stood, not able to sit still. If I couldn't go after her, I could at least pace. My rage grew as I watched them slip through a break in the fence, a break that should have never gone undetected.

"Find the team on patrol!" I yelled. "I want them here, and I want answers. Now!" Isenberg left the room quietly. "Talk to the Commander. I want a satellite overhead ASAP." Cheney picked up the phone, making the call. "We need to know who these men are. They're in our uniforms. Are they our people? If not, how did they get the clothes? I want to know how they got on base. Did they come in the same way they left? I want someone on that camera reviewing recordings until you find them." O'Malley sat down, queuing up another monitor.

"I'd like to go out there, do a perimeter sweep myself," Jasper said quietly at my side. "If something's out of place, I'll find it." I wanted every hand on deck, but he was right. If anyone could find something amiss, it would be Jasper. I nodded once, and he immediately left the room. I sat down again not sure what to do with my pent-up energy, and Cheney pulled up another feed on the monitor in front of me.

"This is across from the hospital," he said quietly as he held a hand over the phone. "Find them on this. It'll give us a better idea on timeframe and maybe we can trace them back, find their earlier movements." I nodded happy to have something to do and began reviewing the film from the time of the bombing. We needed answers. We needed information.

"Got it!" O'Malley's exclamation pulled us all from our focus. "Four hours ago. Look." We all watched as three men cut the fence and hurried through, bags slung over their shoulders. They were in their own clothes, but I couldn't tell if they had our uniforms in their bags or if they retrieved them after coming onto the base. "I've been watching at rapid recall, but I didn't see anyone else come this way afterwards." Just then, the door opened to Isenberg with four men trailing behind. The confusion on their faces only fueled my anger.

"Who was in charge of the east wall?" I asked as I pushed myself up from the chair. They looked up at my question and immediately snapped to attention, but no one opened their mouth. I counted to ten before exploding. "WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE EAST WALL? ANSWER ME NOW!"

"Sir," the one on the far left spoke up. He was young, didn't look older than twenty. This was most likely his first tour. "I was on the east wall." Cheney brought the footage up on the television mounted on the wall, the scene of those men forcing Bella through the break playing once again. The boy's face paled.

"Then explain to me how someone had enough time to create a fucking hole in the wall that you didn't find. A hole that allowed men to come onto our base, plant two bombs, and _steal_ one of our doctors."

"I...I..I'm not-"

"How did this happen? You should have walked by that at least three times after it was done. What have you been doing?" He hesitated, so I stepped forward until we were toe to toe, my face inches from his. "You're already in deep shit; don't make it worse by lying." His eyes fell from mine, shame coloring his face.

"I was asleep." I turned, grabbed the nearest thing which happened to be a cup of pens, and threw them across the room. "I went to the party last night. My shift started early, so I didn't get to sleep. I was-"

"GET OUT!" I turned and kicked the chair I had been sitting in sending it careening across the room. All four men jumped and turned to rush from the room. Isenberg pushed me down into a chair.

"I understand your anger, but it's not going to help us right now," he said gently. My fear was growing as my imagination ran wild. What were they doing to her? Were they hurting her? Whoever this was, they couldn't have good intentions.

"She's out there with God knows who, being forced to do God knows what," I said as I struggled to remain calm. She was stolen right out from under my nose. Snatched. Stolen. _Oh my heart can't take this._ I needed to find her.

"We will find her. You know we will. This is what we do." I nodded. "We're the best, Cap. Nothing will stop us from getting her back. Nothing."

* * *

 **A/N 06/01/18: Surprise! I hope you don't mind an extra chapter this week. I figured I owed it to you since I left you with a little bit of a cliffie. Now, we don't have Bella back yet, but I think we all know Edward's not going to give up. Hopefully he finds her soon.**

 **Let me know what you think of the chapter. Did you expect Edward's reaction or for him to be as rational as he was? What do you think Jasper will find?**


	21. Chapter 21

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _She's out there with God knows who, being forced to do God knows what," I said as I struggled to remain calm. I needed to go get her. I needed to find her._

" _We will find her. You know we will. This is what we do." I nodded. "We're the best, Cap. Nothing will stop us from getting her back. Nothing."_

* * *

It took two hours to evacuate the hospital and move patients and those injured in the bombing to the training grounds where a makeshift hospital was erected. Bravo Company found one bomb in the mess hall. We were very lucky, because it had faulty wiring and never went off. The hospital was still smoldering, but the fire had been put out. A crew was on scene to monitor it, but we'd been told it would be at least 48 hours before anyone was permitted inside.

"They went south." Jasper's voice startled me. I was so busy reviewing the footage, I didn't hear him return.

"Are you sure?" I didn't doubt him, I just needed to be sure.

"Yes." He sat down at a monitor and pulled up the footage playing it forward when they were leaving. Everyone gathered around leaning in to see what he was playing. The footage paused as they slipped from view.

"I went out here like they did. I found footprints moving north and followed those for a few hundred yards before they disappeared."

"Disappeared? How's that?" Cheney asked.

"Yeah. Footprints don't just disappear. So, I went back for a closer look. From that point moving south, they swept their footprints for about five hundred yards. There are signs of a struggle at that point, and…"

"What?" I asked, my gut twisting.

"There's some blood." I closed my eyes as I tried to keep from being sick. "Not a lot, but enough to know that something happened." I stood as I took deep breaths and paced the length of the room. "Maybe it's not hers. Maybe she got a hit in. You know it's completely possible." I nodded. Yes, it was. Bella was a hell of a kickboxer. She'd told me a few weeks after we met that she liked kickboxing as her form of exercise. I'd made the mistake of offering to spar with her, and she'd kicked my ass. I hadn't expected her to be as good as she was, and she'd caught me off guard laying me flat on my ass more than once. "I followed the trail as far as I could, but eventually, the prints faded. I couldn't tell where they went from there."

"We have to find her, but we don't even know who took her."

"Wait!" Cheney cast another stream of footage onto the television. "Look at this." It was the footage I'd been reviewing from across the hospital. The timestamp showed it was forty minutes before the bombing. The three men walked into the hospital already wearing our uniforms. One turned to look behind him, and Cheney froze the footage. "Fuck!"

"It's Rahim." Of course, Amari was behind this. Rahim Ali was Amari's right-hand man. We'd been able to observe him in recon photos for years. He'd begun with the cell as a henchman, but slowly, we watched him gain favor and position. Within five years, every photo of him included Amari as well. If Rahim was involved, there was no question that Amari orchestrated it. "It doesn't make sense though. Why would Rahim come himself? Wouldn't he just send his lackeys?"

"Something's going on. This wasn't just about a bombing," Jasper said. I nodded. "Why would they take her? Why would they take anyone?"

"Did they take _her_?" O'Malley asked. "Did they take Dr. Swan, or did they take a doctor? Was she targeted, or did she just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?" They were all good questions, and we needed answers to those questions sooner rather than later.

"I'm honestly not sure what I want the answer to be."

"Where is she, damnit?!" I slammed my fists on the table. I wasn't mad at the team. I just needed to do _something_.

"We'll find her, Cap," Isenburg said as he clapped a hand on my shoulder. "I promise." Unfurling my fingers from my fist, I stretched them hoping to relieve some tension. I looked around at my team working their asses off. They hadn't slacked an ounce since we stepped into this room and began the search.

~~~SH~~~

I was starting to feel claustrophobic, the room too small. The longer I sat here, the more the walls were closing in. Two fucking days, and I was still here, still sitting within these same four walls that had been my prison. If we didn't get the go-ahead to move within the next 24 hours, I had no doubt I would lose it. I was going crazy, itching with pent up energy.

"Charlie Company is back," Jasper said from behind me. "Let's go talk to them. Maybe they have something to report." He was standing by the door waiting for me to join him. I knew what he was doing. He was giving me a small reprieve. I nodded and stood to join him.

Charlie Company had been scouting the area for the last ten hours. The Commander had denied my request for my team to be out in the field. Charlie and Bravo Companies were just as capable in the field as us, buy Cheney was a wiz behind the computer. Therefore, we'd been relegated to that room while others were out looking on foot. I wanted us to be the team to find Bella, but at this point, I didn't care who found her as long as we found her soon. When the captain saw me approaching, he broke off from his conversation and walked to meet me.

"We didn't see her, but we think we know where she's being held," Captain Sullivan said moving straight to the point.

"What? Where?" I asked quickly, my heart jumping into my throat.

"Sullivan!" We all turned to find Major Yorkie motioning him forward.

"I have to meet with the brass. I'll find you after debriefing." I clenched my teeth and nodded. It wasn't his fault I wasn't getting answers yet. He was just doing his job.

* * *

 **A/N 06/03/18: Happy Sunday! I hope you liked this update. We don't have her back yet, but it sounds like we're well on our way. So was it Bella's blood, or did our girl do some damage? Where does Sullivan think she's being held? What are we going to find once she's found? So many questions, and y'all have some wonderful theories. I love reading them. Also, I got my first hashtag in a review, and I love it! #BringOurBellaBack (Thanks nicoleraychelle1!)** **Appropriate, don't you think?**


	22. Chapter 22

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:  
_

" _We didn't see her, but we think we know where she's being held," Captain Sullivan said moving straight to the point._

" _What? Where?" I asked quickly, my heart jumping into my throat._

" _Sullivan!" We all turned to find Major Yorkie motioning him forward._

" _I have to meet with the brass. I'll find you after debriefing." I clenched my teeth and nodded. It wasn't his fault I wasn't getting answers yet. He was just doing his job._

* * *

The night was eerily quiet. This part of town was deserted, a fact for which I was grateful. We weren't going for stealth tonight. I didn't have to worry about collateral damage. My girl was in that building, I was sure of it. Nothing was stopping me from getting her and taking her to safety.

"Alpha, we have confirmation of nine heat signatures," a disconnected voice floated through my comms. "Three are in the southwest corner of the second floor. Six in the southeast corner on ground level. We haven't seen much movement in the last hour."

"Roger, Bravo," Jasper confirmed before there was a click followed by silence.

"We've got no movement in the surrounding area and no approaching vehicles. Execute."

The order was music to my ears. I waved two fingers in the air, silently signaling my team to move in. We'd been over the plan. Isenburg, Newton, O'Malley, and Cheney were headed for the larger group while Jasper and I split off for the smaller gathering. My gut told me that's where Bella was being held. We could take two guards, and I trusted the rest of my team to handle six.

O'Malley entered the apartment building first while quickly sweeping the area as we hurried inside. It still blew my mind to realize where they'd been holding her. This was the same apartment building we'd had under surveillance so many months ago. Ironically, it was the day - the very reason - I met her. Sullivan said he thought they believed we wouldn't check this location since we'd already discovered it in the past. We were thorough by nature. It was our job to think of every possibility, and Bravo Company had checked.

At the end of the hall, we turned in opposite directions. Jasper and I hugged the wall as we ascended the stairs. The faint sound of voices reached my ears when we reached the landing, so I raised my fist stopping Jasper in his tracks. I pointed to my ear then to the left and he nodded once. He crouched low without having to be told and pulled his gun up. Even though our objective wasn't stealth, a quiet approach would be best. We didn't want to alert the other group of our presence if the rest of our team wasn't ready to be discovered. I held my fingers to my lips signaling we would do this quietly. He stowed his gun around his back and pulled a knife from his ankle. I took my own in hand and readied to spring. This would need to be quick. I pointed at myself then left and pointed to Jasper then right. He nodded once and took his stance to pounce. Counting down on my fingers, I took a deep breath before dropping my last finger into a fist.

We were in front of the men within three seconds. Shock colored their faces before one opened his mouth to yell. Jasper wrapped his arm around the man's neck then twisted sharply. I grabbed the other man by the throat cutting off his air supply and ability to make a sound. His eyes were wide with fright as they darted between me and his comrade that lay motionless on the ground. His hands grasped my wrist, but he was too stunned to do anything.

"Is she in there?" I hissed. His frantic eyes met mine without comprehension. I asked again but in Arabic. Recognition flashed in his eyes before he could school his features. That was all I needed. I sunk the knife into his chest and watched the life drain from his eyes.

"We've got to move them," Jasper said.

I looked over to see him dragging the other man into an empty room. I hoisted the man over my shoulder and followed Jasper's lead. Once we had the bodies settled out of sight, we moved back to the room they were guarding. I had to get her. I opened the door without hesitation and stepped inside. Jasper was trying to warn me to be cautious, but my need to find her overwhelmed me.

"Fuck!" I grunted as I unexpectedly took a hard kick to the shin. I turned ready to pound my fist into my attacker's face but stopped short. "Bella!"

"Edward?" The vice around my heart loosened at the sight of her. She was here. She was alive.

"Unf." Her body was wrapped around me before I could move.

"Edward." I wrapped my own arms around her as tightly as I could. I never wanted to let her go. "I'm so sorry."

"We don't have time," Jasper's no-nonsense voice broke the moment. "We have-" A gunshot rang out below us, which was quickly followed by rapid return fire. It was not our weaponry.

"Bella." She pulled back, and I cupped her cheek to make sure she was looking at me. "You do exactly what Jasper and I tell you. Don't hesitate. We say run, you run. We say duck, you hit the ground. Got me?" She nodded and bit her lip as tears filled her eyes. My heart broke for her, but I didn't have time for emotions right now. "You've got this." She sniffled then nodded again. "We're going down the stairs and to the right."

"What about your team?"

"Jasper and I will get them, but you have to wait where I tell you."

"Okay."

"We've got to move. Now," Jasper said harshly. I took her hand, turned, and pulled her behind me while I put away my knife and pulled out my gun. "Follow me." He scurried out the door with me then Bella directly behind.

We descended the stairs slowly. Halfway down, I felt Bella falter. When I looked back, I could see the pain on her face. She was limping and favoring her right leg. I pulled her to rest her weight on me causing her to essentially hop down the stairs. When we reached the first floor, I turned right and pushed her into an alcove ordering her to stay put. I could see reluctance on her face, but I gave her a harsh look. I hated doing it, but it was necessary. She pulled back making her visibility as small as possible.

* * *

 **A/N 06/06/18: So we have Bella, but we still have to get to safety. Some of you did a great job guessing the details - who, why, etc. I still loved reading every single one of your theories. Let me know what you think about the mission so far and if you have any expectations of what's to come.**

 **If you're so inclined, I recommend you check out the TFN Tied Up In You Contest. Three entries have been posted so far, but I bet there will be more awesome ones to come! www . fanfiction u /1 0769870 / TFN-Tied-Up-In-You**


	23. Chapter 23

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _We descended the stairs slowly. Halfway down, I felt Bella falter. When I looked back, I could see the pain on her face. She was limping and favoring her right leg. I pulled her to rest her weight on me causing her to essentially hop down the stairs. When we reached the first floor, I turned right and pushed her into an alcove ordering her to stay put. I could see reluctance on her face, but I gave her a harsh look. I hated doing it, but it was necessary. She pulled back making her visibility as small as possible._

* * *

Jasper and I turned to hurry towards the gunfire which had diminished but not stopped. We found our team pinned down behind crates after three turns down the corridor of hallways. I could see four the unmoving bodies of three insurgents on the ground near the door of an apartment room. Another man was inside sticking his hand out and firing randomly.

"Lay out fire high, and I'll go in low," I told Jasper and Newton.

No acknowledgment was needed. They rapidly fired at the top of the door, and I surged forward, turning at the last second and sliding in on my back. With gun already aimed, my bullet entered his skull before he even registered what had happened. Without thought, I turned with my gun aimed looking for the last man. My team hurried inside, guns aimed in each direction. What we saw brought us up short.

There in the room was a hospital bed with machines surrounding it. Aware it could be a trap, we approached quickly with our weapons trained on the man. It was unnecessary though. It was Amari, and he was clearly unconscious. Newton began looking over the machines as Isenberg checked his body and bed for potential weapons. Finding none, he stepped back, and we all looked at Newton for answers.

"He's in a coma." Cheney whipped around with his gun raised, and I shoved it away so it wasn't aimed at her.

"I told you to stay where you were." The anger in my voice was evident, but the anger was born of fear. Cheney could have killed her. She moved forward, her limp more prominent than I'd realized.

"They brought me here to perform surgery. He had been shot in the abdomen, and it was infected. They needed me to-"

"Don't. It doesn't matter." A click over the radio signaled the connected comms.

"Alpha. Report," the disembodied voice commanded.

"Targets neutralized. We have the package, and the coyote is here. This was about medical treatment," Jasper said. "The second in command was here too, but he's been taken care of." Bella looked at him in confusion, so he pointed to his ear. She shook her head then moved forward to check Amari's machines. Only a minute passed as we waited for instruction.

"Incoming vehicle, ten minutes out," Bravo finally said. "Eliminate the coyote and return to base."

"Roger," I confirmed then took Bella by the arms and gently pulled her away.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Company's on the way. We've got to go." I turned and looked at O'Malley. He nodded and took out his knife from his utility belt. Bella saw the movement and looked back at me.

"What is he doing?" For the first time, I didn't know what to say. I couldn't lie, but I couldn't tell her the truth. How many times had she told me she took an oath to protect and treat people. She wouldn't understand. I had no doubt she had done everything in her power to help that man, and she would not let us carry out our order if she knew what it was.

"We've got to stay quiet," Jasper said as he took out his own knife. "Those men that are coming don't know we're here. Hopefully, we'll be gone before they even know, but just in case…" He held up the knife as if to illustrate his point. She believed him and nodded. I pulled her quickly from the room. Within seconds, all the men were following. Bella pulled me to a stop just outside of the room.

"What is it?" She leaned down and pulled a pistol from one of the dead men's vests. "Bella."

"I have a right to protect myself." She checked the safety, chambered a round, and held it up to look through the sight, but her arm swayed when she tried to hold it steady. "I know how to handle a gun. My dad made sssssure." I looked to Jasper for help and felt a flare of anger when my second-in-command, my best friend, didn't back me up.

"She's right," he said then pushed us forward. I tamped down my anger to focus on the mission once again. I had her, but now I had to get her home.

"Vehicle approaching from the east," Bravo's voice floated into my ear. "Bird has been compromised. Move to alternate exit strategy." I heard Isenberg curse from behind me.

We would still be fine. We had to be; it was our only option. This alternate plan would just take longer and was a bit riskier. We had a few vehicles stashed a mile from here. Once we reached the cars, we'd change into the clothes hidden under the trunk lining. The plan from there was rather simple. We'd drive out of the city far enough away where we'd call for another helicopter to come to retrieve us. The risk was in getting caught. There was no way six men and one woman traveling together wouldn't raise some suspicions. If we were pulled over, searched, and questioned, we would have to talk our way out of it. With any luck, we'd be back at base within two hours. Bella shook her head as if to clear her thoughts.

"This is your show," she said looking at me. "What's next?"

"We're moving across town northwest from here. We've got two cars with clothes-"

"I don't need details right now. Jjjjjjust lead the way." My men chuckled, but I ignored it for now. I'd deal with them later.

"You stay on me. We'll get you home." She nodded once, but I could see trepidation in her eyes. I wanted to pull her into my arms, kiss her, reassure her that everything would be okay. There was no time though, and she was strong, stronger than I often gave her credit.

* * *

 **A/N 06/08/18: So now you know who and why which some of you guessed! Are you happy to know Amari has now been taken care of? We're one step closer to getting her back to safety, but it seems she's having some trouble. We'll find out next what's going on with the good doctor. Let me know what you thought about the chapter.**


	24. Chapter 24

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _I don't need details right now. Jjjjjjust lead the way." My men chuckled, but I ignored it for now. I'd deal with them later._

" _You stay on me. We'll get you home." She nodded once, but I could see trepidation in her eyes. I wanted to pull her into my arms, kiss her, reassure her that everything would be okay. There was no time though, and she was strong, stronger than I often gave her credit._

* * *

We moved as swiftly and as quietly as possible. There had been no indication anyone was around, but it was better to be safe than sorry. We moved through the old city center putting as much distance as we could between us and the approaching vehicle. As soon as Amari's men arrived, they would find the bodies, and all hell was bound to break loose. I felt a smidge of relief when we reached the edge of the city. The vehicles were just a few blocks over.

"Doc, you alright?" Newton asked. I turned to watch him step forward and pull Bella's arm around his shoulders. I'd been so focused on our surroundings, I hadn't checked on Bella in a while. She was breathing heavily and sweat was dripping down her face. Her eyes crinkled at the corners, and I could tell it wasn't due to the rising sun.

"I'm f-f-fine," she said. She winced every time she put weight on her right leg. We would have to get her checked out as soon as we were on base.

"Just a few blocks over, and we're on our way out of here," I assured her as I stepped forward and pushed her hair out of her face.

"I'm fine." I smiled at her defiant tone. There was my girl. "You're wassssting time, Cap." I smirked.

"Yes, ma'am."

When we arrived at the car, Cheney pulled back the trunk lining and passed out the clothes that would help us blend in. All my men turned their backs as Bella started pulling her pants down. When she stood up, she lost her balance and fell into the car. Newton turned at the sound and rushed to her beating me by a hair. He cursed when he reached her, pushing her shirt up. The caveman in me started to protest until I saw what caused his reaction.

On Bella's right thigh was a puncture wound, but I couldn't tell how she got it. The entire thigh was swollen and red. The area immediately surrounding the puncture was black, blue, purple, and angry looking. The infection was nasty, a yellowish white liquid seeping from the wound. I looked more closely at her face and saw her sweating profusely. That wasn't surprising after the trek we'd just made. Her skin, though, was pale. I placed the back of my hand to her forehead, and she was burning up.

"Doc," Newton said, "tell me what happened?"

"I'm f-fine," she said then groaned when he prodded her leg near the wound. She slumped, but I caught her before she fell. "Yous don't need to woooooorrrrry 'bout me."

"Lower her to the ground." I did as he instructed. "Doc, are you cold?" Her hands were shaking slightly and her breath shallow but quick as her head lolled to the side and rested against my shoulder. I was trying not to freak out, but I had no medical training, and even I could tell this was not good.

"No." She was lying, I could tell.

"What happened, Sweetheart?"

"He wasssssssssn't happy after I broke hissssssss nnnnnnnose at the base." I wanted to smile. Jasper was right. It hadn't been Bella's blood. However, smiling was the last thing on my mind with her slurred speech.

"What's wrong with her?" I demanded from Newton as my worry overrode my patience.

"I'm pretty sure she's septic," Newton said. "Hold her leg still."

"What? Why?" He looked at me with sympathy.

"I need to clear out as much of the infection as I can, clean the wound, and apply an antiseptic. It's going to be painful, but I have to do it. I don't have antibiotics, fluids, or vasopressors." He took a deep breath and let it out harshly. "Let me do my job. Hold her leg still."

I trusted Newton; Bella trusted Newton. If he said he had to then it was necessary. I braced her against my body and held her calf down. As soon as I nodded, Newton placed a hand on each side of the wound and pressed them together. Bella yelped then bit her lip and whimpered. I had to look away from the sight of the pus being pushed from inside her leg. I counted, and 45 seconds later, I heard Newton moving around. I looked over to see him pulling supplies from his pack, clearing the infection from her leg. He took a bottle from the pack and looked at me, silently asking if I was ready for the next step. When I nodded, he turned the bottle upside down and poured the liquid into the wound.

This time, Bella fought my hold on her leg. If she had been in her normal state I had no doubt I'd be sporting bruises, but in her weakened state, she was barely able to move me. Her scream though…it tore at my heart. I wanted to stop Newton from hurting her, but I knew he was doing what was absolutely necessary. Within five minutes, he had her wound wrapped up, and we were pulling clothes onto her. She hardly had enough strength to pull up the pants, so when we moved to stand, I wasn't surprised she couldn't remain upright by her own strength.

"Sweetheart, look at me," I said quietly and waited until she turned her face to me. Her eyes fought to focus on my face and her head swayed, so I ran my fingers through her hair and held her so she was at least looking my direction. "I need you to wear the hijab. If we run into anyone, keep your head down. Don't look at them; don't respond to them. We'll take care of you. Promise." She tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace.

"Aye, aye, Captain," she said then giggled. My team chuckled, and I fought to keep the grin from my face.

"Everyone, load up."

They moved swiftly, Newton and O'Malley ducking into the front while I slid into the backseat with Bella. Whitlock, Cheney, and Isenberg got into a truck a few spots down pulling the doors closed behind them. Six men and one woman traveling together would raise suspicions. Two bodyguards with a man and a womanwas normal in this area. We should be able to make it past the checkpoint without getting pulled over. Newton started the car and looked back at me for the go-ahead. I took a deep breath and nodded. We could do this. We had to; Bella's life depended on it.

* * *

 **A/N 06/10/18: Bella's not in the clear yet, but she's got Newton looking out for her. Edward's having trouble detaching from the situation, but his girl's in trouble. I think anyone would have a bit of a problem with that. At least now we're on our way to the base. We just need to worry about getting there and getting Bella help.**

 **Y'all had some awesome, well thought out theories. I hope this didn't disappoint. Let me know what you thought!**


	25. Chapter 25

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _They moved swiftly, Newton and O'Malley ducking into the front while I slid into the backseat with Bella. Whitlock, Cheney, and Isenberg got into a truck a few spots down pulling the doors closed behind them. Six men and one woman traveling together would raise suspicions. Two bodyguards with a man and a woman was normal in this area. We should be able to make it past the checkpoint without getting pulled over. Newton started the car and looked back at me for the go-ahead. I took a deep breath and nodded. We could do this. We had to; Bella's life depended on it._

* * *

We got lucky as we drove out of town. No checkpoints had been set up, and no one pulled us over. Thank God for small favors. However, Bella was getting worse as time passed. She was unable to keep herself sitting upright. I repositioned her so she was lying down with her head in my lap once we were far enough away from what I considered dangerous territory. I ran my fingers through her hair hoping it was somewhat comforting. She was covered in sweat and shivering worse than before. Newton turned and pressed his palm against her cheek.

"Step on it, O'Malley," he said grimly.

"What?" I asked, my fear growing.

"She needs a doctor. We need to get her to a hospital."

"We're five minutes, maybe seven, from the helo," O'Malley said. "From there, it's a fifteen-minute flight to base. We'll get her there. She'll be fine."

"Newton," I said with warning in my voice.

"How's her breathing?" he asked, ignoring my indirect warning. I held one hand against her neck and the other under her nose.

"Shallow and quick."

"Count her breaths and her pulse. I need to know how many per minute for each." I turned the watch on my wrist so I could watch the seconds tick by as I counted. I kept getting off track because my worry for her was distracting. We arrived at the rendezvous point quicker than I realized. I could see the helo blades begin to spin slowly. "You need to carry her. She can't stand." I nodded, slid from the van once it came to a stop, and pulled her into my arms. The rest of my men spilled from the vehicles, and we made our way to the helicopter. Whitlock was the first to load into the aircraft. He threw his pack down and turned reaching for Bella.

"Come on, Cap," he yelled over the sound of the blades. "I got her." Reluctantly, I lifted her up, and he pulled her from my arms. I hopped inside with my team following closely behind.

The flight to the base was agonizingly slow. Logically, I knew they were flying as fast as possible, but seeing Bella in this state had me worried. Would she be okay? She had to be okay. God, please let her be okay. I found myself doing something I hadn't done in years. I prayed. I was so focused on my prayer that I didn't realize we'd landed until someone slapped my shoulder.

I looked around to find a medical team approaching with a gurney. Shaking the fog from my head, I jumped out of the helo and turned back. Whitlock was there handing Bella down to me. As I placed her on the gurney, I could hear Newton talking to the medical team. Her breaths. Her pulse. I had been counting, but I kept losing count. I wouldn't be able to tell them.

"Newton," I said quietly, but he heard me and turned to focus on me. "I tried…to count. I tried, but-" He shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, Cap," he assured me with an apologetic smile that confused me. "It was just to distract you." I wanted to punch him in the throat, and I wanted to hug him. The medical team started wheeling Bella away, and I stepped forward only to be stopped. I turned, ready to lay into whoever was keeping me from her, but I found Major Yorkie looking at me with sympathy.

"They'll take care of her," he said. "I need you to come with me. We have to debrief. If we have reason to expect a retaliation, I need to be ready to defend my people." I nodded. Even though every part of me screamed to be with her, I knew he was right. Everyone on this base deserved to be protected, and it was our job to ensure that would happen. "Come on. I'll get you out as soon as I can."

The debriefing room was buzzing with activity. Majors, commanders, even the General was in attendance. Seeing him brought us to attention. He saluted and ordered us to sit. We started the debrief recounting our arrival and how we took the building. We assured them no one who could identify us survived. We weren't followed either, but there was no way they wouldn't know it was us. The doctor they'd taken was gone. We were the only ones that would do that.

"Amari's dead," Whitlock told them after we'd recounted our every move. "I'm not saying we shouldn't prepare for an attack, but with their leader taken out they'll be scrambling, unorganized – at least for a while."

"Are you absolutely sure he's dead?" Major Yorkie asked.

"I did it myself," O'Malley spoke up. "It was quiet. One to the jugular; one to the brain stem. He was hooked up to monitors due to the surgery. I confirmed before leaving." Major nodded, satisfied with O'Malley's confidence. I checked the clock as discreetly as I could for what felt like the hundredth time. We'd been in this debrief for two hours. I needed to see Bella and make sure she was okay.

"Good job tonight, boys. Captain, I want paperwork in 48 hours. Get some sleep boys. You earned it."

"Sir."

We all stood and saluted before being dismissed. When we left, Whitlock steered me toward a transport and drove me straight to the hospital at the training grounds. I jumped from the vehicle as soon as it had slowed down enough and headed straight for the operation tent. The flaps were tied back, and I could see no one was inside. It both made me feel relief and anxiety. I was relieved she was out of surgery, but where was she now?

"Captain," I heard from behind me. I turned to find William walking my way.

"William, where is she?" I asked as I sighed in relief. He'd be able to take me to her.

"We couldn't treat her here. Her injury was more severe than our setup can handle. Your medic, he did a wonderful job, but the infection had spread. Based on our initial exams, we couldn't determine the extent of the infection to decide on the right course of treatment. She needed better technology, and frankly," he looked around before lowering his voice, "better doctors." My anxiety spiked.

"Where is she, William?"

"She's on her way to Germany." I took a deep breath, running my hand over my face as I blew out a steady stream, hoping it would steady my heart.

"How bad is it?" He hesitated, his eyes conveying his own anxiety about the situation.

"Worst case scenario?" It took a few seconds before I nodded, not sure I was ready for the answer. "They're talking amputation."

* * *

 **A/N 06/13/18: Don't hate me! I know it's a cliffie, one of the biggest ones I've left you with. Just stick with me. Let me know what you think about this chapter. Also a forewarning, I'm headed out of town tomorrow so there won't be an update until Sunday when I get back.**


	26. Chapter 26

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _How bad is it?" He hesitated, his eyes conveying his own anxiety about the situation._

" _Worst case scenario?" It took a few seconds before I nodded, not sure I was ready for the answer. "They're talking amputation."_

* * *

I struggled for the next five days to function properly, but Whitlock steered me through. The first thing I did was sleep. It would be hours before Bella touched down in Germany. From there, she'd be rushed into surgery then spend a few hours in recovery. I had enough time to catch a few hours of rest before I could speak to her. The next day though, I wasn't sure how to reach her at Spangdahlem. No one I spoke to was helpful. It took far longer than I wanted, and Major Yorkie had to help, but I eventually tracked her down.

She'd undergone surgery in Germany and been there only long enough to ensure she was stable. From there she was flown back to the states to recover at Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth just twenty minutes from my home. Finding her didn't ease my anxiety though. I needed to talk to her. I needed to hear her voice. I tried calling every chance I got, but I wasn't able to speak with her.

No one would talk to me. I couldn't get any answers, and it was driving me insane. Was she awake? Did the surgery go okay? Did they amputate her leg? _Fuck._ I was going insane with worry. I even thought about calling my dad to see if he could help. That would have been futile though. Even though he was a doctor, he had no rights on any military base and wouldn't be able to get answers.

I had plenty to keep me occupied on base. An investigation began the day after the attack. It didn't take long to determine what had happened. When Sullivan interviewed the guard from the east wall, he'd sung like a canary. One of his fellow privates had suppled him with the alcohol the night before. Sullivan said he'd gotten a feeling he couldn't ignore and decided to interview the other private. After a few hours in a locked room, he emerged with details.

The other private had been helping Rahim and his lackeys. I didn't have details about why, but he had been the one to provide the uniforms, ensure the other private was drunk, and encouraged him to sleep. If I heard more, I knew I would do something I would regret.

"Edward," Jasper's calm voice said from across the desk on the sixth day after Bella's rescue. I looked over to see him holding out a phone. His smile confused me. I took the receiver not knowing what to expect.

"Captain Cullen," I said brusquely, and my breath stopped at the response.

"Edward."

"Bella." I took a deep breath for the first time in days. "Baby, it's so good to hear your voice." I looked up at the sound of the door clicking closed behind Jasper as he left the room. "How are you? Are you okay?"

"I've been better, but I'm okay."

"I've been trying to reach you for days." The tension in my shoulders drained away slowly. She was talking to me. She was okay. "No one would tell me anything. I've been going out of my mind."

"I'm sorry. This is the first day I've been coherent. I called base as soon as I could." She coughed, her breath wheezy once she started talking again. "I had surgery in Germany, and I've been here since. Spent a few days in an induced coma, then the last two in and out of consciousness."

"Did the surgery go okay?" I sat up and leaned my elbows on the desk wishing I was there with her, scared of what she was going to say.

"The doctors did a great job patching me up." I chuckled.

"You must be on some good drugs. Patching you up?" If she were in her right mind, she would have given me details of the procedure. She giggled. "Did…Bella." I didn't know how to ask. "What did the doctors do?"

"I told you. They patched me up." I sighed, frustrated that I couldn't man up and ask.

"I talked to William after you were in-flight to Germany. He said things weren't looking good. They were talking about…damnit." I slammed my fist on the desk. Part of me was afraid to ask because I was afraid of the answer.

"What is it, Edward?"

"They were talking about amputating your leg." I was met with silence. I heard rustling on her end.

"Really?" There was more rustling. "I just checked, and it looks like I've got two. I'm fully intact." Relief flooded me, and I leaned back in the chair.

"I'm so glad to hear that." She giggled again.

"The knife didn't do too much damage internally. The biggest problem came about when they wouldn't let me treat it. They said all the supplies were for that man." My anger tore through me, and I wanted to kill them all over again.

"Knife?" She laughed nervously when she sensed my mood.

"I'm fine now, Edward. I'm going to be just fine." I was going to protest and remind her how close it had really been for her, but I heard voices on her end of the line. "They're saying I need to get off the phone. It's time for tests."

"Okay, Sweetheart. I love you, and I'll talk to you as soon as I can."

"I love you too. Bye!" She hung up before I could give my final parting. Within seconds, Jasper walked back into the office.

"And?" he asked impatiently.

"She's okay. She's going to be okay." He smiled widely.

"No amputation?" I shook my head. "I told you things would be fine. She'll be back in no time. Just you watch. Bella won't let anything keep her down." I scowled at him.

"She better not be back. She needs to stay stateside where it's safe." Jasper chuckled as he turned to leave again. "If you think this is going to keep the good doctor away, I don't think you know her very well. I'm going to let the guys know. Newt's been worried sick too."

It was a week later before I was able to talk to Bella again, but this time she was much more coherent. I spent fifteen minutes listening to her explain in detail her procedure and their plan for recovery. If she had her way, she was going to be up and walking – back to normal – in two weeks' time. Unsurprisingly, she praised Newton and his work in the field. According to her, and her doctors, the only reason they were able to avoid amputation was because of his actions. I was going to thank him the next time I saw him.

"Do you think you're going to feel up to visitors in a week or so?" I asked Bella when the conversation took a natural pause.

"Probably," she said in a contemplative manner. "My dad said he's going to come down once he's able to arrange some time off work. I should be ready by then." I smiled at her answer. For being so smart, she was lost on subtle hints.

"I meant me, Baby." There was a slight pause.

"Oh! You…you can come?"

"Well, technically my Christmas vacation was cut short. I've been approved for a week away. Do you want to see me?"

"Yes." The relief and happiness were evident in her voice. "When can you come? When do I get to see you?"

"I don't have those details yet, but it'll be soon. I promise. I love you, Bella." She sighed.

"I love you too."

* * *

 **A/N 06/17/18: She still has two legs! I say that with cheer, because I'm happy. However, I din't want to minimize what some, _many,_ soldiers go through for serving our their country. That was a very real possibility - a reality for plenty.**

 **Let me know what you thought. I love hearing from you guys!**


	27. Chapter 27

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _Yes." The relief and happiness were evident in her voice. "When can you come? When do I get to see you?"_

" _I don't have those details yet, but it'll be soon. I promise. I love you, Bella." She sighed._

" _I love you too."_

* * *

I stepped off the plane and squinted at the bright sunlight. It was a beautiful day in Virginia. Though we were just on the cusp of Spring, the air was still nippy as it whirled around. I looked around not sure where to go from here. Major Yorkie had gotten me on a cargo plane flying into Norfolk Naval Base so I wouldn't need to travel too far to get to Bella. I had been to this base a few times, but I wasn't completely sure where the hospital was in relation to the airstrip. I stopped the first private I saw to ask for directions.

"That transport's headed to the Medical Center to deliver supplies," he said as he pointed to a truck at our right. "They may have an extra seat you can hop on." I thanked him and moved over to the men loading supplies.

"Do you have room for me to hitch a ride to the Medical Center?" I asked. When the private turned to me, I introduced myself. "Captain Edward Cullen, Army Special Forces."

"Captain," he saluted which I returned. "We have an extra seat, but you may need to hold a box or two."

"That's no problem." I helped load the remaining boxes and slid inside with my duffle and one box in my lap. We were pulling into the Medical Center delivery dock before long, which was a good thing since my anxiousness was getting to best of me. "I appreciate the ride."

"Of course. Thanks for assisting. We'll be here for at least an hour before we head back to the airstrip. If you need another ride during that time, come to find us."

"Thank you." I held out my hand and shook each of theirs before hurrying off.

I quickly found an elevator inside and rode to the third floor. From there, I wandered the halls until I found room 303. My knock was light because I was worried I'd wake her if she were asleep. When I got no response, I pushed the door open slowly, peeked inside, and felt the last of my tension drain from my shoulders. There on the bed, Bella sat. She was wearing a workout top, and I suspected workout pants were under the blanket covering her legs. She held an iPod in her hands with earbuds in her ears. That explained the lack of response. I stepped inside, and the movement must have caught her eye. She looked up with confusion before a brilliant smile stretched across her face. She pulled the earbuds out and greeted me enthusiastically.

"You are such a sight for sore eyes," she said. I dropped the duffle and moved to pull her into my arms relishing the feeling of her against me. She was here. She was fine. She was going to be okay. After a few seconds, I pulled away and pressed my lips to hers. She pressed back, wrapping her arms around me. I leaned my forehead against hers, breathing in her scent.

"I am so glad to finally see you with my own eyes," I told her.

"I'm really going to be okay, Edward." I pulled her into my arms again content to just hold her.

I sat beside her for the next three hours. We alternated between talking, watching television, and just holding each other. And kissing of course. She'd had physical therapy before I arrived, so she was free for the rest of the day other than seeing the doctor when he made his rounds which she said would be around 1600. A special was on television about the Navy Seals qualifications. She muted the sound and turned onto her side to look at me.

"Have you made a decision?" she asked quietly. I nodded. I'd thought long and hard about what she'd suggested.

"I talked to the Commander," I told her. "He said he'd put in his recommendation." I chuckled at the memory. "He wanted to know what took me so long." She giggled and slapped my chest lightly.

"I told you so!" I grabbed her hand, pulling it to me to kiss her palm. "So that means you'll be stateside soon."

"Within months." I repositioned myself in the chair to be more comfortable. "That means I'll be in Ft. Bragg for at least the next four years. That's only four hours south of my family." She smiled, honestly happy for me.

"Your mom is going to be ecstatic. Have you told them yet?" I shook my head. "I'm going to see them soon. Figured it was best to break the news in person." I looked away to gather some courage. "I was hoping I could tell her you would be there too." She furrowed her brow.

"I…Edward, I'm under contract." I felt my anger spike. She didn't owe anyone anything after what had happened to her. "I still have another eight months back there. Who knows what will happen after that."

"Bella, you can't go back there." She looked at me sympathetically which only angered me further. "No. You can't go back. Look what happened to you this time."

"That doesn't mean it's going to happen-"

"You don't know that!" I stood to pace the room. The thought of her going back scared me, and that just fueled my anger more. Not much scared me, but this woman had the ability to bring me to my knees.

"I'm going to finish my contract. I don't back out on my word." It was delivered in a soft tone, but I could hear the steel in her voice. I knew that tone. There would be no reasoning with her. Since reason wouldn't work, I tried something else.

"I can't lose you." My voice was pleading. She sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"You're not going to lose me. Come here." I moved to sit beside her on the bed, and she pulled both my hands into hers. "You're not going to lose me, Edward. What happened…that was very unfortunate. However, it was a result of a series of freak occurrences. You don't have to worry about that-"

"I will always worry about you. I love you; you mean everything to me." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine, but we were quickly interrupted by a clearing throat. I pulled away expecting the doctor, but Bella's excited greeting sent ice through my veins.

"Daddy!"

* * *

 **A/N 06/20/18: We covered a few big topics with this - Edward's plans, Bella's plans, and oh yeah, Hi dad.** **Surprise! Time to meet the father. Dun, dun, dunnnnn...Ha! Is it what you were expecting? Some of you were spot on in your reviews, that Edward was in for a fight about her return to base. As for Charlie, we'll learn more about him next. What do you think he does for a living? I will say that one of you was super, duper close in your review. :)**


	28. Chapter 28

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

 _"You're not going to lose me. Come here." I moved to sit beside her on the bed, and she pulled both my hands into hers. "You're not going to lose me, Edward. What happened…that was very unfortunate. However, it was a result of a series of freak occurrences. You don't have to worry about that-"_

" _I will always worry about you. I love you; you mean everything to me." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine, but we were quickly interrupted by a clearing throat. I pulled away expecting the doctor, but Bella's greeting sent ice through my veins._

" _Daddy!"_

* * *

I shot to my feet and wiped my hands on my pants. Bella's father. I knew I'd meet him eventually. I _wanted_ to meet him. Now though? Right as Bella and I were fighting? Right when I'd made myself vulnerable to her? This was not how I planned it. He stepped forward stopping just inches from me.

"Daddy, this is Edward," Bella said from behind me. I reached my hand for his.

"Edward Cullen, sir," I greeted. He took my hand in his own.

"Captain, right?" he asked with no emotion on his face. I confirmed it. "General Charles Swan; nice to meet you." I stiffened and pulled my hand away to salute him.

"Charles Dale Swan, enough," Bella said exasperatedly. Her admonition brought a smile to his face.

"Sorry. I couldn't resist. At ease. You don't need to salute me. I'm retired. I guess I could have said _former_ General. I work at Fort Fumble now." I blanched; I couldn't help it. How did I not know this? "I work with operations analysis." Yeah. Sure. A retired General? He was probably running Operations at the Pentagon.

"Nice to finally meet you, sir."

"It really is nice to meet you." He placed a hand on my shoulder, his face growing somber. "Thank you for getting my little girl back." The combination of my emotions already being exposed with Bella just seconds before and the tightness in his voice made it impossible for me to speak. I nodded, and he pulled me into a hug. "I owe you."

"You owe me nothing," I told him as he pulled away. A rustling behind me brought both of our attention to Bella. Her father stepped around me to hug her tightly.

"Are you okay, Baby Girl?" She sighed and rolled her eyes over his shoulder. I grinned at her but made sure my expression was schooled when he pulled away.

"Have a seat, sir. I'll find us another chair."

"Thanks." He took a seat as I turned to grab a chair from the hallway. "Call me Charlie though." I smiled. Maybe I wouldn't have to work too hard to gain his acceptance.

While I was out of the room, I decided to call my dad since I hadn't called ahead to let them know I would be stateside. I wasn't sure what I would be walking into with Bella, so I wanted to be prepared before talking to them. I was hoping I could stay with them for the week. My truck was parked at my parent's place because I didn't want to store it while overseas. I could use it to drive here each day to see Bella. Both of my parents would have to work, so I'd have some dedicated time I could spend with her. I took a seat in the chair as the phone rang. Just as I thought it would roll to voicemail, he answered.

"Hey, Dad," I greeted him.

"Edward!" he exclaimed. "It's so good to hear your voice. We've been so worried about you."

"I'm fine. I promise."

"You left so suddenly. Then there was a communication blackout. We've watched the news trying to figure out what happened." Even though he was talking to me and could obviously tell I was okay, he still sounded a bit frantic.

"They called me back to complete a mission. When it didn't go as planned, they shut down communication until it could be resolved." I heard a door shut on his end. "I'll tell you as much as I can, but I'm actually calling for another reason. I, uh, I'm home for a few days."

"That's wonderful! Why didn't you call ahead? I could have been at the airport. We would have taken time off." I rubbed my hand down my face.

"Like I said, I'll tell you what I can. I'm not at the airport though. I'm at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth. I'm not hurt!" I rushed to reassure him. "I'm here to see someone else. Just, can you come get me when you get off work?"

"Of course. I was just finishing up charts, so I can leave pretty soon. I'll be there in about thirty minutes."

I wrapped up the conversation with my dad. I'd head home, spend some time with my parents, and allow Bella time with her dad. We'd have to share her time, but we'd make it work. I grabbed the chair and pulled it into the room. Bella and her dad were laughing which made me smile.

"Come sit down, Son," General…Charlie said with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Let me tell you a story." Bella groaned and leaned back with an arm thrown over her face.

"Daaaad," she drawled, and I hurried to take a seat on the other side of her bed eager to hear whatever her dad wanted to tell me.

"Don't interrupt your dad, Sweetheart," I told her, enjoying this little moment of her embarrassment.

"Bells, I've never met a guy you were interested in," Charlie said before he turned to me. "I think it's my right to share embarrassing stories." I nodded in agreement. I had no doubt my mother would be doing the same once she got to meet Bella. "In case you haven't figured it out, Bella here's pretty smart." I nodded. "She was two when I realized we weren't just talking about an early starter. By four, she was reading the newspaper, my mail, takeout menus." He chuckled, his eyes far off in a memory. "After that, she read anything she could get her hands on.

"I was a single dad, active duty. There were a lot of babysitters, so soon she was reading textbooks, magazines, and novels." She tried to stop him again, but I placed a finger to her lips to silence her. She rolled her eyes and huffed. "I'd been gone for a few weeks one time, she was…were you six? Seven at the time?" Bella nodded reluctantly. "I came home from a rough few weeks, excited to see my little girl. She'd been staying with my friend Tammy.

"Tammy's daughter was home from college at the time. She said Bella and her daughter Heidi had been thick as thieves, and every time she checked on them, she found them hovered over one of Heidi's textbooks, said Bella was helping her with schoolwork." He paused with a bewildered look on his face. "Still blows my mind. Anyway, I drag Bella out of there, and we go home. I ask about her time with Tammy and Heidi, and she tells me all about what she's been reading. Which was what, Bella?"

"Heidi was studying to become a therapist," she said quietly. What was so wrong with that?

"What kind of therapist?" Charlie prompted. Bella huffed again before looking at me.

"A sex therapist." I chocked on air. "I know! I know!" Charlie couldn't stop laughing.

"I had to have the sex talk with my daughter at the age of seven," Charlie said. "It was mortifying. Especially with this one. She has always been so curious, so into details." I laughed with him knowing exactly what he meant. I could only imagine how uncomfortable that had to have been.

"What-" I was interrupted by a knock on the door.

A doctor stepped through saying he was making rounds. Bella told us to stay while he examined the wound. It looked significantly better than last time I'd seen it though she still had stitches and the site looked angry. But her leg was still attached to her body and that was the best sight at the moment.

* * *

 **A/N 06/22/18: Hello Charlie...dad...General...Pentagon employee? Fort Fumble is a nickname for the Pentagon. So many of y'all were super, duper close when guessing his occupation. He _was_ military. Now he's a civilian employee for the DOD. As if Edward didn't have enough to worry about already. ;) Hope you enjoyed their meeting and a little glimpse of Bella as a child. Do you have any funny stories of embarrassment either about yourself as a young child or your kid? **


	29. Chapter 29

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _What-" I was interrupted by a knock on the door._

 _A doctor stepped through saying he was making rounds. Bella told us to stay while he examined the wound. It looked significantly better than last time I'd seen it though she still had stitches and the site looked angry. But her leg was still attached to her body and that was the best sight at the moment._

* * *

The ride home with Dad was both a relief and torture all at the same time. It was great to see him, to be here with him and Mom too soon. This made my decision to become an instructor easier. I would be home, or at least pretty damn close. It'd be a short four-and-a-half-hour drive to see them. It was difficult, though, to dodge his questions. I had every intention to tell them as much as I could, but I'd rather tell them at the same time. That way I wouldn't have to repeat myself.

It didn't take long to get home. When we pulled into the driveway, I could see Mom's car in the garage. She didn't come to the porch to meet us which made me wonder if Dad told her I was home. Once out of the car, I grabbed my duffel from the trunk before following Dad inside. I dropped the bag in the foyer, an order from Mom every other time I was home. We made our way to the kitchen where we could hear banging.

"Honey?" Dad asked when we found her rushing around with two pots on the stove, water running in the sink, and something in the oven she was checking on. At Dad's inquiry, she stood quickly and turned to us with a slightly frazzled smile. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, and then she rushed over to pull me into a hug. When she began to pull away quickly, I tightened my grip and pulled her off her feet. I heard Dad chuckle next to me.

"Hi, Ma," I told her as I swung her lightly from side to side.

"Put me down, you big oaf," her muffled but amused voice came from my shoulder. I lowered her to the ground and allowed her to pull back only slightly. "It's so good to have you home." I smiled at her.

"It's nice to be home. Now, please don't do anything extravagant just because I'm here."

"It's just dinner. I've got a meatloaf in the oven, potatoes are boiling, and I'm finishing up green beans now. I'm sorry there's not more." I shook my head.

"That's more than enough, Mom. It sounds wonderful."

"It does, Honey," Dad agreed. I finally released Mom, and she hurried back to the stove. "Sit down, Son. Tell us what you can. Who were you visiting in the hospital? One of your team?"

Dad and I sat at the breakfast bar while Mom flitted around the kitchen. I tried to gather my thoughts. The conversation to come would take some delicate navigating. I wanted to tell them everything, but it was classified. Therefore, I told them an abridged version of our hunt for Amari. I didn't use any names or specific details, but they understood. I could tell Mom was uncomfortable hearing details about my mission even though they were watered down. I tried to gloss over them as much as I could, but this wasn't even the worst part.

"During another team's mission, they exchanged fire, and someone was injured, someone from their side," I told them, my leg bouncing. "They needed a doctor." Mom gasped, and one look in her eyes showed that she knew what I was going to say. I startled slightly when Dad's hand came to rest on my arm. "They, uh, they took her. They took Bella." It didn't matter that we'd rescued her. It didn't matter that she was just minutes away, safe in the hospital. Remembering that time still brought me fear.

"Oh, Edward," Mom said as she walked over and wrapped her arms around me. I hugged her back before she pulled away and laid her hand on my cheek. "Is she…"

"She's at the hospital. She's going to be okay. We, my team, went and got her. She was hurt, so they flew her home to be treated, to get better." I smiled at Mom. "She's going to be okay."

Mom moved back to the stove to turn off the burners then pulled the dish from the oven and placed it on a trivet. Dad pulled away and stood from the table, retrieved plates, and set them at the table. I retrieved drinks from the fridge and silverware from the drawer to help. Mom served the food, and I dug in with gusto. I'd been living on snack food while trying to wrap up both the mission and my tour. In just a few short weeks, I'd be headed to Fort Bragg to begin my training to become an instructor. My team would be going to Fort Bragg as well, but it would be to meet their new Captain.

"I'm very glad Bella is home safe," Mom said as we finished up the meal. "Do you think…" I looked at her curiously as she hesitated. "Do you think we can meet her?" I smiled widely.

"I want nothing more than to introduce you to the woman I love," I told her, and she giggled. "I have to check with Bella though. She's recovering, and I'm not sure if she's going to feel like having visitors. I'm planning to take my truck and go back tomorrow. I'll talk to her then."

"She's that important to you; isn't she?" I smiled at her.

"She's my heart." Mom sighed like a lovesick fool. I guess that was me, though.

Dad and I cleared the table and loaded the dishes for Mom. He poured her a glass of wine and pointed her toward the living room while we finished cleaning up which didn't take long between the two of us. When we were done, I grabbed a beer and handed a bottle of water to my dad. I knew he was on-call during the week and wouldn't drink. I took a seat on the couch by my mom, and Dad sat in his recliner.

"I know it's been your job, and I had a vague idea of what you do, but hearing it is worse. Seeing you or someone you love injured makes me hate it even more," Mom said as she shuddered lightly. "I'm so glad you're out in just a few short months." This was it, the opening I wanted but didn't want all at the same time.

"Actually, I'll be leaving Afghanistan in a few weeks," I told her.

"What? That's wonderful. That's earlier than planned, right?" I nodded.

"Yes. With this mission wrapped up, they want to get the team back to start training with their new Captain. And I need to start training for my next assignment." The atmosphere became so think you could cut a knife with it.

"I thought…but you…" I took her hand in mine.

"I've signed up for four more years." She slammed the glass on the coffee table with a huff.

"After everything we've been through, that _you've_ been through, you sign up for four more years?" I rubbed my thumb over her knuckles as her hand gripped me tightly.

"It's not as bad as you think. I-"

"You've signed up for four more years! Four more years away from your family! Your brother is getting married. They'll have a family at some point in the near future. You'll have a niece or nephew that you'll never see because you'll be galivanting around the world putting your life in unnecessary danger. Your father and I aren't getting any younger either."

"Ma, you're not old!" I turned and made her look at me. Her watery eyes tore at my heart. I never wanted to hurt my parents. "Would you listen for a second? My new assignment is at Fort Bragg. I'm going to be a SERE school instructor." I waited to let that sink in.

"Instructor?" Dad asked, his tone hesitant but hopeful.

"Yes." I turned toward him. "I'll be training the newbies, which you know, is based out of Fort Bragg. I can live on base if I wanted. I could also rent or buy a place down there. I'll only be four-"

"Oh!" Mom exclaimed as she threw her arms around me. I laughed as I hugged her back. "You'll be home! You won't have to travel!" I pulled away.

"There will still be some travel, but it'll be for training purposes." She started to open her mouth. " _Real_ training purposes. I won't say there's absolutely no danger involved, but I think it's the closest I can get to a desk job in my world."

* * *

 **A/N 06/24/18: So now we know for sure that, despite Bella's decision to go back to the base, Edward is sticking with his plan to be an instructor. He'll be stateside soon enough. Unfortunately, it sounds like he'll be stateside alone for a while. I promise that I won't drag that part out for you, but it's a real scenario that happens for many families.**

 **Good job Edward for having that conversation with Mama Es. That couldn't have been easy. Why is it that talking with our parents, even about things this important, is so hard? Do you remember a tough conversation you had with your parents? Glad you followed through or maybe you regretted it. Oh, parents; such a complex relationship.**


	30. Chapter 30

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _Oh!" Mom exclaimed as she threw her arms around me. I laughed as I hugged her back. "You'll be home! You won't have to travel!" I pulled away._

" _There will still be some travel, but it'll be for training purposes." She started to open her mouth. "_ Real _training purposes. I won't say there's absolutely no danger involved, but I think it's the closest I can get to a desk job in my world."_

* * *

For the next two days, I spent most of the morning and early afternoon with Bella. Her dad gave us time to ourselves until lunch when he'd show up with something to eat from off base. Bella barely picked at the stuff claiming she was too tired from physical therapy. I will admit, she busted her ass during her sessions. Since it was scheduled for 1030 every morning, I got to accompany her and be her personal cheerleader. I watched her struggle, and I watched her push through it despite the pain that colored her expression. By the end of her two-hour session, she was sweaty and breathless. However, she never looked more beautiful with her fighting spirit shining through.

I actually enjoyed the afternoons with her and her father. General Swan was funny, and he enjoyed telling stories of Bella's childhood. She was a good sport about it, razzing her old man as much as he gave it. I would never be thankful that Bella was taken and went through what she did, but it went a long way with her father that my team rescued her. It was probably the easiest 'meet the father' a man could imagine.

After a few days, I broached the subject of my parents wanting to meet Bella. She was immediately nervous. She wanted to meet my parents, but she said she wanted to look better. I tried to assure her they wouldn't care about that, but no matter what I said, it didn't settle her nerves. She agreed none the less that they could come the next day. I knew my dad didn't have a shift scheduled, but I'd have to check with my mom. I kissed her chastely and shook General…Charlie's hand before heading home.

Mom and Dad were there when I arrived. I could smell something else amazing cooking and found Dad in the living room looking through some patient files. I greeted mom with a kiss on the cheek before stealing a bite of pasta sauce from the stovetop. She slapped my hand and shooed me out of the kitchen. I left with a chuckle and talked with Dad until she called us to the table.

"Mom," I said as we were eating dessert, "do you work tomorrow?"

"I do," she answered. "Though I may be able to take off. Did you have something in mind?"

"Well, Bella said she'd feel up to company if-"

"Yes!" Her exclamation interrupted me, and I smiled at her enthusiasm. "I'll take tomorrow off. What time did she want to see us? Can I take her something? I could cook if you want us to take lunch."

"Mom! Mom!" Dad and I were laughing. "Slow down. She has therapy at 1030. That usually lasts an hour, maybe a bit longer. Her dad usually brings lunch in though, so you don't have to cook. How about we plan to be there around 1300 hours?" She nodded and stood, leaving us at the table as she walked away muttering to herself.

"I guess that's the end of dinner," Dad said in amusement. "Come on. Let's get this cleaned up."

The next day, Mom could barely be contained. When she asked if she could take something to Bella, she failed to mention she'd already been putting something together. Mom said it was a 'care package'. She had all kinds of things that would make Bella's hospital stay more bearable. There were books, crosswords, a loofah (What was that?), something that looked like a bra but Mom said it was to put on your eyes when you sleep, and an array of other things that I didn't even want to know about. She had it all arranged in a basket with a card she'd refused to let me read.

We arrived at the hospital fifteen minutes earlier than planned. I wasn't able to hold Mom back, so I'd driven as slow as possible on the way to the hospital. When we arrived, I led my parents to her room on the third floor and knocked before entering. I smiled when I saw Bella sitting on the bed with her legs hanging over the side. I could tell she'd washed and styled her hair, applied a little makeup, and she was dressed in a pair of nice pants and a fancier shirt than what she'd been wearing lately. I told her on the phone last night that she didn't have to do this, but she said she wanted to make a good first impression. I walked over and kissed her in greeting. She stood up to greet my parents, but her bodyweight leaned heavily against me.

"Dr. and Mrs. Cullen, it's nice to finally meet you in person," she said as she held her hand out to shake. My mom stepped forward, placed the basket on the end of the bed, and pulled a surprised Bella into a hug.

"It's so good to finally meet you, dear," she said emotionally before pulling back. "Please call me Es. You look beautiful." She turned to me. "You did good, Son." I huffed and felt my cheeks heat. She loved to embarrass me; I swear. "So, Bella, can I call you Bella? Why don't you have a seat? I bet you've had a tiring morning already. No need to stand on our account." My dad stepped forward and took Bella's hand softly.

"And please call me Carlisle," he said with a kind smile. "It's nice to meet you." Bella smiled and nodded before lowering herself carefully to the bed. I helped her settle then pulled another chair inside so there were four. I was surprised we beat her dad here. I was sure he would arrive soon.

"Edward's told us so much about you," Mom continued after we'd taken a seat.

"All good, I hope," Bella said as she looked at me with a smile.

"Of course!" She took the basket from the bed and placed it on the side table. "I brought you a few goodies to help make your stay here a bit more comfortable. I hope they're all things you enjoy."

"I love crosswords!" Bella said excitedly. "Everything else looks great too. It'll be nice to have some creature comforts."

We spent the thirty minutes or so talking. Well, we listened to Mom talk. Dad interjected when appropriate, but the women dominated the conversation. I just enjoyed watching my parents and Bella get along so well. I planned to have her in my life for a very long time, so it was great to see them hitting it off. After a while, Bella asked Dad about his work at the hospital. She got that excited gleam in her eye as they discussed their most recent procedures and patients.

"Am I interrupting?" I looked up at the sound of Charlie's greeting. Mom ushered him inside and welcomed him into the discussion seamlessly. The conversation was effortless, and everyone got along well. It made me hopeful for our future. "Well, Bells, I heard the doctor say something about releasing you soon. Not sure what 'soon' means, but I'm sure he'll be in to discuss it with you eventually."

"That sounds great!" she said, her eyes lighting up at the news. "I can't wait to get back into my routine. I'm sure things are fine, but I'll be glad to get back in the hospital. Dr. Juarez has probably been exceptionally busy." My heart dropped. I knew she was planning to go back, but it was just hard to hear.

"Bells, you can't mean you're going back," her dad said incredulously. I wanted to back him up, but Bella was going to do what Bella wanted to do. I may not like her decision, but I would support it, support her.

"Dad, I have an obligation and responsibility," she said calmly. "I signed a contract, and I will fulfill that." I'm sure he saw the determination on her face and knew he wouldn't be able to change her mind. So, he swung his gaze to me.

"Edward, you can't like this. Right?" I understood him trying to get me on his side, but I wouldn't go against Bella.

"Of course, I don't like it," I told him honestly. "I'm the one that found her after she was taken. Remember? Trust me, no one wants her here, safe, more than I do." He seemed to be bolstered but my answer, but I wasn't done. "However, this is Bella's decision, and I will support her. If she chooses to go back, I will support that and find some way to cope." Bella threaded her fingers through mine and squeezed. I looked over to find her eyes on mine, and she mouthed 'thank you' with a sigh.

* * *

 **A/N 06/27/18: I hope you liked this chapter more than I did. I struggled with this one. Es has met the girl of her boy's heart, and the families are getting along well. It sounds like Bella has cemented that she's going back to the base. I know not everyone is happy with her or understands her, but I hope you're not too mad about it. Now the question is how long will she stay over there?**


	31. Chapter 31

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _Of course, I don't like it," I told him honestly. "I'm the one that found her after she was taken. Remember? Trust me, no one wants her here, safe more than I do." He seemed to be bolstered but my answer, but I wasn't done. "However, this is Bella's decision, and I will support her. If she chooses to go back, I will support that and find some way to cope." Bella threaded her fingers through mine and squeezed. I looked over to find her eyes on mine, and she mouthed 'thank you' with a sigh._

* * *

It had been four weeks since I left Bella at the hospital and returned to the base with my team. Two weeks after I returned, Bella came back. She still had trouble standing for long periods of time and grew weak if she walked too much, but she was happy though. There was no denying it when her face lit up as she talked about her day. I was happy to have her back with me, but this day had been looming over my head. Now I felt like I couldn't breathe. In just a few short hours, I'd be on a plane back to the states, this time for good.

Bella still had seven months left on her contract, and as she'd told us all, she would complete those months here on base. She'd been offered reassignment, but she turned it down because she didn't want anyone to think she was weak. I snorted when she told me that. Weak? No one thought she was weak. Hell, even the President has called to speak with her about her bravery. I just shook my head remembering that conversation. I'd gone to her place after her shift one evening and came in to find her with a satellite phone in hand. Curious, I'd asked her if everything was okay.

" _Of course," she assured me. "I'm just waiting on a phone call. He tried to reach me earlier, but I had a surgery to prep for, so I asked that he call back."_

" _Who? Your dad?" I asked. Charlie had used his connections to call and speak with her every other day since she returned._

" _No. The President." I just stared at her not sure I was processing what she said._

" _What?"_

" _The President." At that moment, the phone rang. "Hello, this is Dr. Swan."_

I shook my head as I walked into the hospital where Bella was in the middle of a 12-hour shift. I would never understand how receiving the Defense of Freedom medal wasn't a big deal to her. She just said she was only doing her job.

William found me looking for Bella and told me to go back to the doctor's lounge. He would page Bella. He gave me a sad smile as I passed. I tried to smile back, but I'm sure the grimace was apparent. William had told me they'd all look out for Bella while I was gone. The sentiment was appreciated, but it didn't do much to assuage my fears. I wouldn't be here to protect her. That's all it came down to. I wasn't waiting long when I heard the door behind me close quietly. I turned just in time for Bella to wrap her arms around me and squeeze. I folder my arms around her, holding on just as tightly as we remained silent for more than a minute. Finally, she pulled away just enough to look up at me.

"I'm going to be fine," she said with conviction. I leaned down and pressed my lips to her, lingering for a few extra seconds. "Seven months isn't really that long." I kissed her again, and this time she pressed back against me. "I love you."

"I love you too, Bella," I told her softly, leaning my forehead against hers. "This is just difficult. You can't ask me not to worry." She was the one that leaned forward and kissed me softly this time.

"I'm not asking you to not worry. I'm asking you to trust that everyone here will keep me safe."

"They'll try." Not able to resist, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers again. The soft kiss quickly grew heated. Who knew the next time I would be able to do this? Sensing my mood, Bella kissed me back with just as much energy. A sudden noise at the door jarred us from our trance, and we pulled apart from each other. It took a few more minutes of just holding her before I could speak. "I should get going." She tightened her hold on me quickly before pulling away.

"I l-" She cleared her throat. "I love you. I'll call you when I can." I nodded.

"I expect to see you in seven months and one day." She giggled.

"Yes, Captain." I groaned. She knew what that did to me. "Now go before this gets more difficult than it already is." I grabbed her face and kissed her quick and hard before swatting her ass.

"Later, Sweetheart." She waved as I walked backwards out of the lounge.

Over the next month, I was far too busy to spend much time worrying about Bella. I still worried, of course, but it was done in those precious few moments at night before sleep. Training to be a trainer was tough work. We spoke on the phone, but it was only two times a week at best. I'd kept in touch with Sullivan, Charlie Company's Captain since they were still stationed at the base. They'd checked in on Bella a few times for me and reported that all was well.

Once I was done training, I began my role as an instructor, and I enjoyed it more than I ever thought possible. It was still tiring, but in a good way. The best part about the assignment though was that I'd been home to visit my parents twice in the month since I was stateside. One of those times, Emmett and Rosalie had been down for a visit. Seeing them, being with them, was almost the best thing in the world. Having Bella with me would have made it perfect.

"Cap!" I turned to see Jasper leaning against my office door and smiled at the sight. I hadn't seen him in weeks. I stood and walked around the desk to hug him.

"I'm not your Cap," I said with a smile. "No one is." Jasper had been out officially for about a week.

"And it's a damn good feeling." I motioned for him to sit.

We caught up for a few minutes, and he told me about the house he and Alice bought in Suffolk, Virginia. They wanted to stay close to Norfolk Naval Base where Alice worked in the Human Resources Office. Jasper had decided he would be a guide at the Great Dismal National Wildlife Refuge. He said it reminded him of home. He and Alice never planned to return to Louisiana, but it didn't hurt that something familiar would be nearby.

"You'll have to come visit," he said as he finished telling me about his business plans. I nodded.

"You know I will," I assured him.

"Yeah. Come visit in about six months." I looked at him curiously. What an odd request. I watched as an elated smile spread across his face, and it hit me.

"No shit!" He nodded and laughed. "Dude. You're going to be a dad!" His leg was bouncing, and his face had never before been more full of pride. "Congratulations!" I stood and walked over to hug him again. We'd talked about this, and I knew they were eager. I just didn't realize it would be so soon. He pulled away and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Thanks. I, uh, _we_ were wondering if you would be the godfather." Godfather? I probably would have balked at the offer if it had been from anyone else or any other time. Jasper, though? And now that I had Bella, I could actually picture myself with a child. I placed a hand on Jasper's shoulder and squeezed, my voice tight when I answered.

"I'd be honored."

* * *

 **A/N 06/29/18: A baby! Not Edward and Bella's, but a baby none the less. :) In other news, they've been apart for a month now. Of course Edward is using his connections to keep an eye on her. Thank you, Captain Sullivan! Did we expect anything less though? I really hope y'all liked this chapter, especially the ending. :) Let me know what you thought.**

 **On a side note, we're going to hit 1000 reviews with this chapter, and I really cannot thank y'all enough. Every review means so much to me. I cherish your words, thoughts, and ideas.**


	32. Chapter 32

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _Thanks. I, uh, we were wondering if you would be the godfather." Godfather? I probably would have balked at the offer if it had been from anyone else or any other time. Jasper, though? And now that I had Bella, could actually picture myself with a child? I placed a hand on Jasper's shoulder and squeezed, my voice tight when I answered._

" _I'd be honored."_

* * *

The hours drug on slowly. I'd thought about asking for today off, but she wouldn't be here until late this afternoon. I would have just been anxious all day without distraction. So, I sucked it up and told myself to just make it through the day. But at this rate, it felt like the day would never end.

It'd been six weeks since I left her on base, and Bella had finally been approved for a week away. It was fairly easy for her to get since she had to have a follow up with her surgical team to check on her progress. When I finished the mound of paperwork and evaluations for the day, the clock read 1730. With any luck, I could make it home with enough time to shower before getting Bella from the airport. The thought lifted my spirits significantly. Within two hours, I'd have her back in my arms.

I was renting a house about ten minutes off base. I thought about staying on base where it was cheaper and would be closer to work, but I hoped being in an actual house might entice Bella to stay once her contract was over. I parked and made my way to the door while I calculated how long I had before I needed to leave.

"Hey." My eyes snapped up at the sound of her greeting.

"Bella," I sighed both in relief and surprise. What was she doing here? How did she get in early? How did she know where I lived? Fuck it. I rushed to her as she stood from where she sat on the steps and wrapped my arms around her tightly. She wound her arms around my neck and giggled as I lifted her off the ground. "It's so good to see you." I sat her down and pulled her lips to mine. "You're here." She nodded.

"I'm here." She kissed me again.

"What are you doing here?" She smirked and threw a thumb behind her.

"I could go if-"

"Don't." I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and turned her towards the door. "I'm just surprised. How did you get here?"

"Well, it took some planning." I unlocked the door, grabbed her bag, and tugged her inside. "I caught an earlier flight – cargo plane. Then I hitched a ride with the pilot. He lives somewhere near here." I fell onto the couch and pulled her into my lap. "Oh! I called your mom for the address too." I rolled my eyes. "We had a lovely conversation." That brought me up short.

"Conversation? Why would you need to have a conversation? Getting an address takes what, two minutes?" She laughed in my face. "What did you talk about?"

"Oh, you know, this and that." Her answer didn't sooth my worry, but I didn't get a chance to ask. "Are you going to show me around? I love what I've seen so far. It's very homey."

The next morning when I woke, the clock read 0500. My body was on autopilot, so even though it was Saturday and I didn't work, my body was ready for the day. I started to stretch, but the weight on my arm kept me from moving too far. The smile spread across my face involuntarily. She was here. I rolled back towards her and pulled her body against mine. We'd only fallen asleep a few hours ago after she wore me out, a common occurrence when I had the night with her I might add. With a feeling of contentment, I slowly drifted back to sleep.

When I woke next, the bed was empty. I rolled over to see it was 0630, but there was no Bella in sight. I heard something from outside the room and went to investigate after dressing in shorts and a t-shirt and brushing my teeth. The sight that greeted me was one-of-a-kind. Bella was in the kitchen chopping vegetables. She wore a tight shirt with thin straps (I think I'd heard her call it a cami) and a pair of my boxers with her hair piled messily on top of her head and glasses sliding down her nose. She had earbuds in and was swinging her hips to whatever music played through the speakers. I leaned against the doorjamb and just watched her.

"Oh!" she startled when a few minutes later she looked up and saw me. She pulled the buds from her ears and smiled at me apologetically. "Did I wake you? I was trying to be quiet." I shook my head and moved to her placing my hands on her waist and turning her so I could look her up and down. She looked like a fantasy. I let my hands wander to her backside pushing them inside the boxers. I groaned when I didn't encounter underwear. She wriggled out of my grasp as she giggled. "I'm making breakfast. Don't distract me."

"Me?" I asked incredulously. "How am _I_ the one that's distracting?"

"Cook now. Play later." I stole a quick kiss before telling her to put me to work.

We cooked breakfast, just simple omelets with sautéed vegetables, and ate at the table. After taking a seat, I turned and pulled Bella's chair closer so that she was between my legs. I ate with one hand while I used the other to caress the tantalizing skin of her thigh. She smiled mischievously when my hand, without my control of course, wandered a little high. After cleaning the dishes but before getting a chance to pull her to the bedroom, our bubble was interrupted by the doorbell.

"Ignore it," I told her. "I'm not expecting anyone."

"Edward!" she admonished. "Answer the door." I whined when I saw her jaw was set. She wouldn't be deterred. I was both annoyed and pleasantly surprised to find Jasper and Alice on the other side of the door.

"What are you doing here?" I greeted as I hugged Jasper before pulling Alice into a tight hug. "You though, I'm happy to see." She laughed at Jasper's protest.

"We're here for the weekend," Alice said as she pushed past me and barreled into the house dropping her bag in the middle of the living room floor. I turned to find Bella standing in the doorway from the kitchen with an excited but nervous smile. "Look at you!" Alice turned to Jasper with a smirk. "You didn't tell me she was so hot." He just rolled him eyes.

"She's Edward's girl," Jasper said with a sigh. "I don't see her that way."

"Bullshit. I see it." Alice turned back and walked over to pull Bella into a hug. "I'm so glad to meet the woman that tamed this jackass. Welcome to the family." Bella just laughed, a bit of her nervousness fading.

"Thank you," she told Alice, and I could hear the sincerity in her voice. "I, uh, I'm going to go get dressed. Be right back." When she shut the door behind her, Alice rounded on me.

"You're so in love it's sick." I shrugged with no intention to correct her. Alice came over and patted my cheek. "Jasper said you wanted to convince her to stay. We're here to help accomplish that. I mean, who can resist this?" She motioned to herself. "And this?" She placed her hands on her stomach and I smiled like a fool.

"No one, Alice. No one."

* * *

 **A/N 07/01/18: Please bear with me as this is longer than usual.**

 **Bella's here for a visit! This is Edward's chance to show her what she could have if she decided to stay with him after her assignment. And it sounds like he's got help from some of his best friends. :) I hope you liked the little bit of Alice we got to see so far.**

 **We're nearing the end. There are only 3-4 chapters left. I'm working on the epilogue right now then will start working on some outtakes. I have a few ideas for my next project I'm working on, so if you want to stick with me into another story, place me on author alert.**

 **You will find that I posted a new one-shot today! I entered the TFN Tied Up In You Contest (titled Knotted Heart), and my entry won four awards. Please hop over to check it out, and let me know what you think.**

 **Additionally, I want to encourage you to check out my story titled "Reader Requests". Everyone has a story inside of them, but not everyone wants to or feels like they can put pen to paper. If you have any ideas of scenarios you'd like to see your favorite characters in (Twilight in general, not just my stories), let me know! I'd love to try to bring it to life for you.**


	33. Chapter 33

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _You're so in love it's sick." I shrugged with no intention to correct her. Alice came over and patted my cheek. "Jasper said you wanted to convince her to stay. We're here to help accomplish that. I mean, who can resist this?" She motioned to herself. "And this?" She placed her hands on her stomach and I smiled like a fool._

" _No one, Alice. No one."_

* * *

I got Alice and Jasper set up in the guestroom with fresh sheets. Bella rolled her eyes at me when she realized I hadn't even made the guest bed. I told her if she had been here, she could have reminded me. She just kissed me and pushed me into the bedroom to change. Jasper had planned ahead, checking out attractions in the area and purchased tickets for the ZipQuest Waterfall and Treetop Adventure in the neighboring town. I'd asked if Alice was sure she should go, and in true Alice form, she slapped me on the back of the head and told me to get ready.

After we'd all donned the appropriate attire, we loaded into Alice's SUV. Bella and I slid in the back, and she buckled into the middle before leaning into my side. I wrapped my arm around her, content to just be close. I would only have her for a week, so I was going to savor every moment. The drive was relatively quick, and Bella was bouncing in her seat once we arrived.

"So, we can pretty much do whatever we want," Jasper said as we made our way to the entrance. "There're ziplines, treetop ropes courses, a human slingshot, all kinds of stuff. Babe, I think maybe you should avoid the slingshot." Alice barked a laugh.

"Trust me," she said. "I'm 100% okay with that."

"I want to do it all!" Bella said with a giant smile. I pulled her towards me to kiss her quickly.

"We will do everything we can, Sweetheart," I assured her as she pulled me towards the entrance quickly. "However, maybe you should avoid the slingshot too. I don't want you to hurt your leg." She rolled her eyes but nodded too. I could trust her not to push her limits too far.

The day was wonderful. Jasper, Bella, and I it all except the slingshot. Alice couldn't do the treetop ropes course. As soon as she got up there, vertigo set in. We got her down safely, and she took up residence in a lawn chair where she could watch the three of us. Alice laughed as we raced each other, Bella smoking us, because Jasper and I were too busy trying to sabotage each other. The day was great, and by the time we left around 1500, I was ready for a nap. Bella had kept me up late the night before, and combined with the exertion from today, I was running on fumes. Once back at the house, Alice made dinner, and the rest of the evening was low-key. We were in bed long before 2200.

We woke early on Sunday before loading into vehicles to drive to Chesapeake. Emmett and Rosalie were home for the weekend, so we were spending the day with the family. When I told Mom that Jasper and Alice had come to visit, she told me to bring them. "The more the merrier!" They'd drive home from there, but Bella and I would stay the night since I'd been approved to be off Monday before returning to Fort Bragg. I held Bella's hand the whole way home relishing in just having her by my side. It made me want her to stay even more.

"Hi!" Mom exclaimed as we stepped out of the car. I grabbed our bags from the back and stepped to the front of the truck with Bella. I jerked my head signaling her forward. She squealed, hurried down the stairs and over to pull…Bella into a hug. "I'm so glad you're here." Bella laughed as she hugged my mom back. I looked on bewildered.

"Ummm…" I didn't know what to say. Mom pulled back and looked at me pityingly. "Hello to you too." She pulled me into a hug which I returned, but she quickly pulled away. Taking Bella's hand, she pulled her over to where my friends stood looking at me with amused smiles. "You must be Jasper and Alice. I'm so glad to meet you." She pulled Alice into a hug then Jasper. She then reached forward and rubbed Alice's belly. "And there's my grand-godchild." She leaned forward the speak directly to Alice's stomach, my embarrassment flaming on my face. "We're going to have great times, little one." Jasper was looking around, not sure how to respond. Alice, though…Alice was smiling widely.

"You and I are going to be good friends, Esme," she said with a giggle.

"Call me Es." Mom smiled and took her by the hand that wasn't holding Bella then pulled both into the house quickly talking about her plans for the barbeque that would start in a few hours.

"So," Jasper said as he stood next to me. "That's your mom." I nodded. "You weren't kidding; were you?" I shook my head. "Alright. Let's head in."

Soon upon entering the house, we guys were shooed out of the kitchen while the women worked on food for later. We were in charge of the grill, but that wouldn't need to happen for at least three hours. We turned on ESPN for background noise as we visited and Emmett and Jasper got to know each other. Dad had some medical journals on the end table, but he only opened them a few times. Every once in a while, a loud echo of laughter would ring through the house from the kitchen. It worried me, not knowing what they were talking about.

Mom finally instructed us to start the hamburgers and hotdogs, so we relocated outside. Mom stayed with us, laying on her daybed swing to enjoy the breeze. When Dad said we were minutes from being ready to eat, I went inside to let Bella, Rosalie, and Alice know. As I approached the kitchen, I could hear the laughter had faded, and the tone was much more serious than earlier. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I didn't feel like I should interrupt either.

"…care for it," I heard Bella say, coming into the middle of a conversation. "High school was boring. I'd been studying college text books for over a year. Therefore, my mind wandered often. Everyone made fun of me, guys and girls alike."

"That's horrible," Alice said, the sympathy evident in her voice.

"It was easy enough to handle. I mean, it was just words."

"Until it wasn't. Right?" Rosalie asked, though it sounded more like she already knew the answer.

"It was senior year; I was 14. There was this guy, Lewis. I had a crush on him, had for a few months. He was a senior, not one of the popular guys but not a total nerd like me. He asked me to go to a football game with him. When I thought about it afterwards, I knew I should have realized something was wrong. He had never liked football." She sighed, and I clenched a fist. It didn't matter what this asshole did; I wanted to find him and punch his face in. "He told me he'd meet me outside the entrance. So, I spent an hour convincing my dad to let me go, dressed in my best outfit, and stood outside the entrance waiting. I waited for half an hour, and just when I decided I was going to leave, it happened. Some of the popular crowd was at the top of the bleachers with water balloons filled with colored water. They bombed me, staining my white outfit. Then to make matters worse, they squirted ketchup and mustard on me too."

I'm sure the girls were comforting her, but the blood rushing through my ears drowned it all out. How dare they treat her that way. She was brilliant, beautiful, and one of the kindest people I'd ever met. How could anyone in their right mind not fall in love with her? Those asshats didn't know how lucky they were that they weren't in my presence at the moment. I'd give them a dose of their own medicine. Unable to listen to anymore, I walked into the kitchen where Rosalie and Alice were both hugging Bella.

"Food time," I said, hoping the anger in my voice wasn't evident. The two girls pulled back, cleared their throat, and made their way outside. Bella looked at me curiously, immediately sensing my mood. "Ready?" Her face fell.

"You heard, didn't you?" she asked in resignation. I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly.

"I didn't mean to overhear." She wrapped her arms around me. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry that happened to you. You didn't deserve any of it. Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I didn't want to tell you, because I knew you'd get mad and go all 'guy' on me." I pulled back to look at her in surprise.

"Go all _guy_? What does that mean?" She smiled indulgently.

"I hate what happened, and at the time, it was devastating. It's in the past though. I've moved on. You don't have to be upset for me."

"I'm not upset." She raised a brow, and I huffed. "I'm livid. If I ever meet any of those fuckers, I'm taking them out." She rolled her eyes before leaning forward and kissing me.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

 **A/N 07/04/18: So we ended on a bit of a heavy note; I feel like I should apologize for that. We learned some more about Bella, and it sounds liked Rosalie probably relates on some level. Glad to see them bonding. At least we started with some fun. The waterpark is real, and from what I found online, looks like a lot of fun. Bella's still injured, healing but injured none the less. She can't go skydiving yet, but this still gives her some adventure. And Mamma Es with here grand-godchild...I imagine she'll be one who starts pushing for grandchildren rather quickly. ;) Let me know what you think. We're winding down quickly. There's one more regular chapter and the epilogue left. I want to cry just saying that. Ha!**


	34. Chapter 34

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _Previously:_

" _I hate what happened, and at the time, it was devastating. It's in the past though. I've moved on. You don't have to be upset for me."_

" _I'm not upset." She raised a brow, and I huffed. "I'm livid. If I ever meet any of those fuckers, I'm taking them out." She rolled her eyes before leaning forward and kissing me._

" _I love you."_

" _I love you too."_

* * *

On Tuesday, I went back to work. Bella insisted I not take too much time off work just to spend it with her. I had a duty, she reminded me, and I begrudgingly did as she said. Part of me was glad I listened to her, because nothing made me happier than coming home to find her there. I tried to temper my hope that she'd choose to move here after her current assignment so I wouldn't be too disappointed. This was Bella after all. She had an adventurous spirit and would probably head to the next location. We would be fine; I believed that 100%. I would miss her though. And worry about her. God, would I worry about her.

Each afternoon I came home to Bella either finishing dinner or to it already on the table. We would eat then find some adventure nearby. Our adventures ranged from hiking to checking out local shops to checking out the bedroom. Bella wanted to see everything the place had to offer, and I wanted to do anything I could to make her fall in love with the town. If she loved the town, it could only increase my chance of convincing to her move here eventually.

When I arrived home on Thursday night, Bella was rushing to put dinner on the table. She'd made steaks with baked potatoes and green beans. The sight of her, with hair piled on top of her head and glasses slipping down her nose, made my heart flutter. I wanted that every day, and I'd have to wait months for it – longer depending on where she chose for her next assignment.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she hurriedly apologized. "My meeting ran longer than I planned."

"Meeting?" I asked as I walked over to kiss her.

"The meeting with the General was fine, but the school's selection committee held me up." I smiled widely. Ever since she'd gone back to the base, she had been working to get Newton into medical school. She was convinced he needed to become a doctor. Newton had gone all shy when she praised and thanked him for his work and explained that he hadn't gone the med school route because of money. She was determined that would not be a barrier for him anymore.

"It smells awesome," I said as I followed her to the table.

Dinner was wonderful but subdued. Bella tried to engage me in conversation, and I honestly tried to participate, but my mind kept wandering. I couldn't stop thinking about her going back to the base. After eating, I helped clear the table and dried the dishes and she washed them. At one point, he was spraying a plate and a shot of warm water hit my stomach. I looked down at my half-drenched shirt then up to her slowly. She wasn't looking at me, but I could see the smirk on her face. I reached over and flicked suds at her. She gasped and looked at me incredulously.

"You did that on purpose," she accused. I schooled my features.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I responded innocently. She hesitated for just a moment, and we both reached for the sprayer at the same time. I got there first, but only by a hair. We tussled over it for a few seconds before she squeezed the nozzle which was pointed directly at me. Her laugh echoed through the house. I turned the water off, picked her up by the waist, and spun her around.

"Edward!" She was still giggling as I sat her on the kitchen counter. I chuckled and pulled away only long enough to pull my shirt off. She bit her lip as she watched me. I moved back between her legs, and she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I kissed her shoulder, trailing my lips over her delectable collarbone. I could feel her hum on my lips causing me to nip at the base of her neck. She moaned at the action. "You're all wet."

"You will be too," I whispered. Her breathing was labored, and her hands wandered into my hair.

"You're succeeding." She tilted her head back enjoying my ministrations for a few moments. "A girl could get used to this."

"You taste so good." She groaned as my lips traveled lower, pulling her shirt down to expose her so I could suckle at her beautiful, pale skin.

"Edward." My name dragged out of her pouty lips, and I moved up to press mine to them. "Take me to bed."

Later that evening, we lay in bed just enjoying being in each other's presence. Bella lay on her stomach, arms folded under her head. She had kicked her leg out from under the sheet saying it was hot. Her movement had pulled the sheet down to cover only her lower half. Her back was arched slightly, the dip in her spine captivating me along with those two dimples that sat at the top of her delectable behind.

"We could do this every day," I told her as I ran my fingers over her spine lightly. "Of course, it probably wouldn't be every day. We'd need some rest at least once a week." She giggled, her nose crinkling with the motion. "Honestly, though. I want you here." It was the first time I'd said it so straightforward, and my nerves flared. "I want you safe." She rolled her eyes, and all I could do was roll mine back. "Most importantly, I want you with me. I want to build a life with you, sooner rather than later." She looked at me for a long second, and I prepared for her to let me down.

"Okay." _Wait. What?_

"Huh?" She smiled indulgently.

"Okay."

"Okay? As in…okay?" She laughed at me before leaning over and kissing me softly.

"I actually already signed a contract for the base hospital starting next week. I can't stay there anymore. It's," she paused, " _difficult._ " I could hear something in her voice, something I couldn't identify, but I was so overcome with happiness. I couldn't stop myself from pulling her into a kiss. She was staying. She was staying with me.

* * *

 **A/N 07/06/18: PLEASE READ TO THE END FOR NEWS ABOUT MY NEXT PROJECT.**

 **Be still my heart. I'm having trouble with this coming to an end. :(**

 **I hope you liked the last regular chapter of the story. There will be a three part epilogue (all posted on the same day) to give you a glimpse into the future.**

 **I want to say thank you to everyone that made this possible. EdwardsFirstKiss and SunflowerFran did not beta this story, but they have helped me with recent one-shots. I took their advise and worked it into Stolen Heart. So they have had a big hand in this. Thank you to LizziePaige who made the wonderful banner to this story. You are amazing! I want to thank all the wonderful reviewers of this story. I honestly appreciate every single one, even when we didn't agree with the direction of the story. Finally, thank you to each person that read my story. You are much appreciated.**

 **I hope to start posting my next project within the month. It's very different from this, much heavier on the angst. I have spent the last year or so learning about a problem that occurs here and internationally. Human trafficking is believed to be the third-largest criminal activity in the world. Between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked in the United States annually. Men, women, and children are taken from their home and sold into forced labor, domestic servitude, and sex trafficking. The new story will address this - how it happens, what occurs to some people, how they survive, and how/if they escape. It won't be a topic for everyone; so, if you choose not to read, I will completely understand.** **After that, I hope to expand my one-shot Knotted Heart.**

 **If you have any questions about this project, my next project, or an old project, please feel free to ask. I love talking with y'all!**


	35. Epilogue

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

 _Eight Months Later:_

"Do you think about marrying me?" She turned to me with the oddest expression on her face, a cross between confusion, fear, and curiosity. I had to hide the amusement I felt.

Part of me understood, because the question seemed to come out of nowhere. I'd woken from a dream twenty minutes ago - a dream of our wedding. I knew within weeks of meeting her that Bella was my forever. I couldn't pinpoint the exact moment or even if there was a specific instance that clenched it for me. She stole my heart, and I didn't even realize it at the time.

"Marriage." She turned onto her side to face me with her hand tucked under her head as she let the idea roll around in her mind. I admired the view of her still rumpled from sleep, her eyes still slightly cloudy. The contentment I felt of having her here with me settled over me. "I don't-" My stomach dropped. "I don't know, I think." Okay. That wasn't a flat-out refusal. "Are you-"

"No." I lifted my hand to cup her check. "I'm not asking you to marry me. Not yet." She seemed to relax as her shoulders fell slightly, and her brows smoothed from their slight furrow. "I just want to know if you think about it. Is it something you've considered?" She placed her hand over mine, threaded her fingers through my own, and pulled my hand down to rest against her chest.

"Honestly, I don't think so." Instead of getting offended or hurt, I waited. She's explain herself, and knowing my girl, it would be completely logical. At least it would be in her head. "Mom left us when I was very young. I don't remember much about her, just what Daddy has told me. Then it was just me and him for...forever. Then as I got older, I watched his men marry," she sighed, "and divorce. Military marriages aren't easy." A truer statement had never been said. "I guess I saw that and thought it wasn't what I wanted. Plus, I was pretty busy with school. I wasn't a normal girl, Edward." I couldn't keep the smile from blooming on my face. Unable to resist, I leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose.

"You still aren't, Sweetheart. It's one of the things I love about you." A smile tugged at her lips and color filled her cheeks as her eyes looked at me tenderly. I hope she understood how much I loved her exactly the way she was.

"So, no, I guess I don't really think about marrying you." She scooted closer and tangled her leg between mine. I wrapped my arm around her enjoying having her close. "But I think about spending the rest of my life with you. At least, that's my plan." My heart hammered in my chest at her confession and my cock swelled. She was basically saying yes to a proposal, and that made me a very, _very_ happy man.

"Yeah?" I asked to confirm. She smiled at me indulgently.

"Yeah." I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. "Sound good?"

"Sounds great." I ran my hand up and down her spine, my hand drifting lower with each pass. Her breath sped up as my touch drifted over her backside and to her thigh. I groaned when I realized she had on no underwear, and she giggled. "Oh, Baby." I ran my hand under her t-shirt (my t-shirt) and up until I had a handful of her delectable derriere and squeezed. She thrust forward slightly rubbing against me. "Let me show you how happy you've made me."

Instead of answering me, she leaned forward and captured my lips with her own, kissing me possessively. I rolled to my back as she pressed my shoulder and moved to straddle me. Our lips never parted as she sat astride me. Her hands moved down my chest, and I grunted as she circled my nipples before moving her hands further down. She traced my six-pack, a feature I hadn't realized until recently affected her the way it did. I ran my fingers through her hair then pulled her away to taste her neck. She gasped for breath, braced one hand on the bed beside my head, and moved her lower half against me slowly. I grunted at the sensation and tried to maintain control over my libido.

"Edward, please." She tried pushing my boxers off with one hand but wasn't having much success. I moved my hands down her sides and grasped her hips.

"Lift up." She raised onto her knees, and I quickly removed the offending clothing before pulling her back down to rest higher on my torso. Once steady, she whipped off the shirt she was wearing and flung it somewhere in the room. I could see the intent in her eyes. Before she could follow through, I quickly sat up and turned her so she was on her back. She yelped in surprise but smiled when I moved above her. "I'm supposed to be showing you how happy you make me." She pouted adorably.

"Come back here." I braced myself above her so our bodies weren't touching and leaned down to kiss her slowly. She moaned and tried to pull me against her.

"Uh, uh, uh." When she frowned, I kissed her chastely. "Be a good girl." I winked. "I'll make it worth your while." Her eyes darkened, and she bit her lip which she knew drove me wild.

Once I saw the surrender in her eyes, I leaned down and gently placed my lips on hers. The kiss was slow and languid as I enjoyed the taste of her. I kept myself above her, because I knew the minute my body pressed against her, I'd be lost. Her fingers combed through my hair and scratched my scalp sending a jolt of desire through my body. Afraid I'd lose control before completing my mission, I moved to trail my lips down the column of her slender neck and over her heart - my heart. She sighed but quickly sucked in a sharp breath as I closed my lips over her rosy nipple. I swirled my tongue around her savoring the sound of her moan. Wanting to be an attentive lover, I moved to her other breast to pay the same respect.

"Yes." Her grip on my hair tightened as she held me closely to her. I chuckled as I felt her leg wrap around me trying to pull me against her. "Edward," she whined when I refused to comply.

"Don't worry, Sweetheart. I'm going to take care of you." She threw her head back with a huff, but her body couldn't lie. She was enjoying this. I tweaked her erect nipple pulling a squeak from her which was quickly followed by another moan. I placed my lips back on her body but moved south grazing over her cute little belly button. Just before I got to where she wanted me most, I detoured and moved my kisses to her hip then to her thigh.

"Edward, please." I felt her tug my hair but resisted. I was going to make her happy, but I was going to play a little bit first. As I moved further down her body, her hand fell to the bed as she panted. I pushed her leg to the side giving me better access. Her hands fisted the sheet when I nipped at the inside of her knee. "Shit. Edward, how do you do that?" Pride swelled along with my cock. She'd always been sensitive there. Unable to resist her any longer, especially when she talked like that, I moved up and placed a small kiss on her pussy. She jumped slightly at the contact before settling. "Fuck. Yes."

I kept my eyes on her face the entire time I loved her with my mouth. She tried to watch me, but eventually she lost the battle. Her lids slid shut as her head fell backwards, and her body arched. I guided her legs over my shoulders and wrapped my arms around her waist to hold her in place as I licked and sucked at her clit. When she tensed and her breathing sped up, I backed off and turned to place kisses on her thighs.

"No, no, no. Don't stop," she begged, but I didn't cave. Instead, I sucked on her inner thigh leaving a mark that only I could see. She grunted at my action.

"I told you I'd make it worth your while," I reminded her. "Trust me." She propped herself up on her elbows to level me with a pleading look.

"But I want you."

"You have me. You have me for the rest of your life." She smiled tenderly at my confession then her eyes turned predatory.

I moved back to taste her once more, and she stayed where she was watching me intently. I pulled back my hand and placed a finger at her entrance. She tensed, but it wasn't in fear. My hunger grew as I watched her eyes droop in anticipation. I teased her by running my finger outside of her entrance as my mouth continued at its task. Her mouth parted slightly as she raised her hips trying to push herself onto my finger. I pulled back to give her a stern look but couldn't hold back long as she started to chant _please_ in a whisper. Finally, I pushed into her as I pulled her clit between my teeth.

"Yes!" she shouted as she fell back against her pillow. Her soft warmth enveloped my finger, and I wanted nothing more in that moment than to be inside her, but I wanted her to come first. Keeping my movements slow and deliberate, I moved my other hand up to pinch her nipple. Her hand covered mine and pulled. I groaned when she sucked my finger into her mouth and bit which caused her to moan around me. It wasn't long before I was rutting against the bed like a seventeen-year-old boy. "Edward, I-" She didn't need to finish her sentence. I could feel her starting to clench around my finger. Redoubling my efforts, I added a finger and moved faster all the while still working on her with my mouth. "Edward, _oh!_ I'm gonna-" Her body bowed off the bed as she shattered in my arms. I worked her through her orgasm not releasing her until she'd started to breathe again, deep breaths that caused her chest to heave. I admired to sheen of sweat that glistened on her body. "Come...come...here." I moved up her body kissing her skin along the way.

"Hi there, Beautiful," I said softly once I was above her. I kissed the side of her mouth as she tried to catch her breath.

"I want you." She hooked a leg around my waist and pulled me down. I didn't fight her this time and settled between her legs. "Now." Not willing to disobey her command, I sank into her. _Fuck._ She was so tight from her orgasm still. I could feel her clench around me as I settled with my hips flush against hers. "Move, Edward. Please." I wrapped my arms under and around her shoulders holding her close before pulling back until I almost slipped out then pushing back into her. Nothing was better than this. Literally nothing. "Edward, please." I looked into her eyes to see they were wild with desire. "Fuck me. Please. We can do slow and sweet later." I crushed her to me in a kiss before pulling away and pushing myself up to my knees.

"You want me to fuck you?" I asked to be sure. She bit her lip and nodded. "Hold on then." When I reached forward to the headboard, her hands flew up to brace herself. Once I had leverage, I held on and pushed into her roughly.

"Yes!" Her shout of approval spurred me on, and I fucked her at a punishing pace. I couldn't take my eyes off the sight of her breasts as they bounced in time with my trusts. Her legs were wrapped around me with ankles locked together. "Fuck. Deeper." I reached down to pull her ass higher on my thighs. "That's it. That's...it." I could feel her starting to tighten around me and was so thankful. I wouldn't last much longer, and she needed to come again. I moved one hand down her body until my hand was settled at the top of her mound. I moved my thumb to press against her clit, and her moans grew louder as her head lolled to the side.

"Come for me, Bella. Come all over me." I could tell she was fighting it, but I was having none of that. I pressed my thumb against her harder. "Look at me. Eyes on me."

She fought to keep her eyes open as she began to lose control. I cupped my hands behind her shoulders and pulled her up to straddle me. With my forehead against hers, our harsh breaths mingling, I couldn't hold off any longer and fell over the edge with her. I held her against me as she shuddered in my arms. Our bodies were slick with sweat, but I'd never felt closer to her than this moment. I kept her in my arms as we both came down from that euphoric high. She leaned forward to press her lips against mine, but it was the briefest of kisses. I lowered her to the bed but was afraid I would crush her. I rolled over taking her with me so that she was on top. We laid there for a few minutes while we recovered. Eventually, she crossed her arms over my chest and rested her chin against them.

"I'm not sure I could really tell how happy you are." I barked out a laugh and cupped her cheeks.

"My naughty girl." She smiled shyly. It still puzzled me how she could go all shy after all we'd done together. She kissed my chest before looking back up at me with sleepy eyes. "We should get out of bed." I looked at the alarm clock beside the bed. "Emmett and Rosalie will be here in thirty minutes." Her eyes widened, and she scrambled out of bed and hurried to the closet.

"I have to shower. You have to shower." She disappeared into the closet. "What if they're early?"

"We can shower together to save time." Her head popped around the doorframe, and she looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"No way, Mister. Then we'll really be running behind." I smirked. She disappeared once more but only for a few seconds. She headed for the bathroom with clothes in hand. However, when she passed me, I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her back into the bed.

"Edward," she half-heartedly whined while laughing. "Don't make me late."

"You won't be late. You're already here." That was logical. Logic always won with Bella. She sat up, gave me a peck, then pushed me away while she hurried into the bathroom. I just laid there with my arms behind my head. Life was damn good.

 _ **One Year Later:**_

I checked my watch for the umpteenth time. It read 1730, and I groaned. What was I going to do for the next hour? The sound of footsteps on the stairs broke me from my thought. Jasper came into view with an impish grin. Regarding him with caution, I finally asked him what the look was about.

"Your girl looks good," he said casually. _What?_

"She's here?" I couldn't contain my excitement as I stood quickly.

"Just arrived." He poured a drink and passed it to me. "Drink. Your nerves are showing." I flipped him off but did as he said.

"She's early."

"Did you expect anything less?" He took the empty glass from my hand and placed it back on the bar. "Everyone's here now. I wouldn't be surprised if we started early." I perked up at the idea. I was so ready for this. Before I could comment, I felt a rumble as the engine started, and within minutes, I could feel us pull away from the dock.

"You sure about this? This is your last chance. We can make it to shore if we run now." I rolled my eyes at him.

"I've been waiting for this for too long. There will be no backing out for me or her." A knock at the stairs interrupted us, and I told the person to come up. I smiled when my dad came in with a smile on his face.

"How are you doing?" he asked, and I sighed.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm perfectly fine. I'm ready for this. I'm tired of waiting." He smiled in amusement as he held his hands up in surrender. He then pulled at the neck of his shirt. "Uncomfortable?"

"I only have to wear a tux a few times a year when I have to schmooze the Board. I don't like it. I'm accustomed to my scrubs." Jasper and I laughed. "What do-" Dad was cut off by another knock at the stairs. What was with all the interruptions? My annoyance dissipated quickly when Hannah popped her head in with a smile.

"How would you feel about starting early, Captain?" the coordinator asked, and I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face as I stood and smoothed down my uniform.

"Hell yes." _Shit._ "I mean, yes, ma'am." She giggled at my outburst.

"Good. Step out on the deck. I'll send all the guests up."

Dad and I stepped outside as Jasper hurried down the stairs. The Captain of the yacht joined us first, shaking my hand. I thanked him for doing this but was interrupted as our 36 guests arrived and stood around us. I smiled and greeted them but didn't take time to go visit. I could do that later. I was ready to get on with the show. It wasn't long before everyone had claimed a spot and we began. The music began and Jasper walked in with Wyatt in his arms. Wyatt was holding the rings that were tied to a pillow. I couldn't help but smile at my little godson dressed smartly in his own little version of a tux. As Jasper took his place beside me as my best man, his wife began her walk. She dropped flower petals along the way from a basket that Willow, Wyatt's twin, held. My smile grew at how cute my goddaughter looked in her little white dress. Alice had done a wonderful job with them.

I was so focused on the two little ones, that I didn't hear the shift in the song. Once I caught sight of her, though, of my absolutely stunningly beautiful bride, my breath left me in a rush. She was here. She was finally going to be mine. I was so overcome by emotion, that I had to reach up and swipe away a tear. I couldn't believe she was going to be mine. It wasn't long before she was standing before me, and I had to force myself to not pull her into my arms and kiss her.

"Dearly beloved…" I honestly don't remember much of what was said. We'd opted for the traditional vows, but Bella had fumbled over a few words. I didn't often see her flustered, so it was amusing to watch color rise in her checks. Her response, though, was something I would remember for the rest of time.

 _"Sorry. It's just that you make me...crazy...happy...want to do things that should probably wait until at least the honeymoon."_ I grinned broadly at her confession that echoed our first date.

"Me too."

 _ **Three Years Later:**_

I sat down in one of the camping chairs we had set up in the living room and let out a long sigh. I was so tired. If I could just have five minutes to rest, I could finish out this task so we could get on the road. Sweat dripped down my temples, so I raised my hand to wipe it away. A whispered, "Shhh", from behind me made me smile, but I hurried to hide it. Clearly, I wasn't meant to hear. When a little boyish giggle followed the command, I couldn't resist. I turned hurriedly as I reached to pull them to me with a growl and tickled them.

"Uncle Edward!" "Stop!" "I'm gonna pee." I immediately stopped knowing that was not an empty threat.

"What are you two doing? Are the toys packed up like you were told?" Willow stepped forward to hug me with her precious pout that she knew how to wield against me.

"I love you, Uncle Eddie." I just rolled my eyes. She was the only person I let get away with that. Wyatt stepped forward and followed his sister's lead.

"Did you two do as I asked?" Jasper said as he walked in from outside.

"Daddy, I seepy," a precious little voice said from the bedroom door. I pushed the twins toward their dad and walked over to scoop up the last of the three musketeers.

"Are you tired, little princess?" I didn't need to ask. Her droopy eyes said it all. If I gave her two minutes, she'd be out like a light.

"Yes, Daddy. Can I take a n-nap?" My heart felt so full when she was like this. She may only be two, but like her mother, she was fiercely independent. I savored the moment she allowed me to hold and love on her. Unable to resist, I kissed her forehead.

"We're almost ready to go. You can sleep the whole way home if you want. Okay?" She nodded. "Why don't you, Willow, and Wyatt pack up the last of the toys? As soon as that's done, you can sleep."

"Otay." I sat her on her feet and the three disappeared into her bedroom.

"Come one, man. We've got to load the mattress, and then we're ready to head out," Jasper called from outside. A deep breath prepped me for the last of the manual labor before the long drive home.

It didn't take long for us to load the mattress in the U-Haul. Once it was done, we went back in to hurry the kids along. As soon as the boxes were full of Maisie's toys, I loaded those into the back of my truck. Jasper helped me get the kids buckled into the back of my truck. He'd be driving the U-Haul, and I'd have the kids with me. All. Three. Kids. I could only pray they slept most if not all of the way.

With the trucks running and the kids strapped in, I went back to leave the keys on the counter. Before leaving I walked around the little two-bedroom house that Bella and I had called home for the last four years. It was here that Bella had come when she left her assignment earlier than she planned. It was here I'd carried her over the threshold a year later after we'd gotten home from our honeymoon in South America. Then a little more than a year later it was here that we brought home our daughter, Maisie Grace Cullen. This little house held a lot of memories, but our new home in Chesapeake would hold more.

"Let's roll!" Jasper's exclamation brought me out of my thoughts. With nothing but happy thoughts of this place, I closed the door on this chapter to step into the new one.

"Daddy, I miss Mommy," Maisie said once we pulled onto the street.

"I know, Princess. I do too," I told her. "Remember, she had to go early so she could get stuff set up at work. She'll be at the new house when we get there in a few hours." She nodded, her eyelids drooping even further.

I turned on Radio Disney and pushed all the sound to the back. Luckily, they were all passed out within twenty minutes and didn't wake up until we were twenty minutes from home. The last twenty minutes of the drive I was given a rousing performance from the kids of their favorite songs. As the house came into view, I sighed in relief. It was 1400 hours. If we got to work immediately, we could have everything unloaded by dinner. The kids perked up when I told them we'd arrived. Maisie cheered when she saw Bella standing on the front porch.

"Mommy!" she yelled as she ran as fast as her little legs would carry her. Bella hurried down the stairs to scoop her up into her arms for a tight hug.

"Oh, little princess, I missed you so much," she said as she peppered our little girl with kisses. Once I'd unbuckled the twins, I made my way over to my family. Maisie was telling Bella all about her week and what Bella had missed while they were apart. "So, Daddy took good care of you?" Maisie's chocolate locks bounced as she nodded. She had her mother's hair and nose, but she had my green eyes. She was the perfect combination of the two of us.

"Hey, Sweetheart," I greeted Bella before kissing her and wrapping my arms around her and Maisie. "We missed you." She smiled so brightly.

"I missed you two as well." She turned back to Maisie. "Wanna go see your new house?" Bella and I had been lucky enough to build instead of buy. We'd designed this home over the last two years. Once I'd decided not to renew my contract after four years as an instructor, we'd found a plot of land near my parents and Emmett and Rosalie and started construction. It was completed a few weeks ago.

"Yaaaaaaayyyyy!" Maisie yelled. I don't think she fully understood what was going on, but we'd tried to prepare her over the last year for this.

Maisie loved that her bedroom was upstairs. She insisted on walking herself, so it took some time getting to the second floor. Bella and I had decided to put the master on the first floor at the back of the house. Bella had struggled with it. She'd worried about being that far away from our daughter, but I reminded her that Maisie was growing up and wouldn't need us as much as she currently did. Then she'd asked what we would do with out next child. That discussion had to be tabled when I couldn't stop myself from attacking her. As a compromise, we'd added a room near the master that could be used as a nursery then easily converted to an office eventually.

When we showed Maisie her room, she was enthralled with the princess fort bed. Since Bella had brought most of Maisie's stuff ahead of time, her room was fully functional. We left her to play with the twins while we unloaded and unpacked. Emmett had come over with some friends to help, so it only took two hours to have everything inside the house. Bella directed everyone to where boxes were to be placed, and Alice and Rosalie unpacked the kitchen stuff saying we would need access to it quickly. I ordered pizza to feed everyone that helped. Once it arrived and everyone was settled, I took a seat beside Bella.

"I've been meaning to ask you how things are going at the clinic. Is everything ready?" I asked her quietly as the rowdy crowd around us carried on their conversation.

"As ready as I can be," she said with a sigh.

Once we'd made the decision to move to Chesapeake, Bella had to decide what she was going to do. She'd been renewing her contract with the Army and stayed on at Fort Bragg. She could have probably worked at Norfolk, but it didn't appeal to her. She really wanted something that could offer a bit more stability when it came to her schedule. With Maisie getting older, she was going to be doing all kinds of activities. Bella wanted to ensure she could be there for everything. I told her to talk with my dad. He would have a better idea of what may be available in the Chesapeake area. I wouldn't have been surprised if he offered to get her a job at his hospital, but what she walked away with had shocked me.

In two days, Bella and my father would be opening Cullen Family Care and Surgical Clinic. Apparently, Dad had been talking to Mom about wanting to scale back on his work but not knowing the best way to do so. He didn't want to start his own business knowing he would be retiring in ten to fifteen years. He would have to sell the practice, and he didn't want to worry about that. So instead, they were opening the clinic together.

It would be a lot of work in the beginning, but once it was up and running, he would be the Chief of Staff allowing him more time off and a less stressful workload. Bella was going to be the Chief of Surgery allowing her to get into the OR more often for scheduled procedures during the day. Emergencies would be handled by other staff. Then, since it was a family business, they thought further. Rosalie had been working as an RN since graduation, so they offered her the Chief Nurse position which she happily accepting. Mom had had the last and final idea to bring on Alice as their Director of Human Resources.

"Look at me," I told her after seeing something I never wanted to see on her face. Doubt. "You are going to do wonderfully. This is going to be a success, and you're going to love it. You can do anything you set your mind to. I believe that with al my heart." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine. I reluctantly pulled away when the catcalls started.

"Thank you."

Later that night, after everyone had left and we'd put Maisie to bed, I took a long hot shower which did wonders for my aching muscles. I would have much preferred to have my wife under the rainfall shower head with me, but she insisted on cleaning up the little bit of mess that had been made. Once I was dry and pulled on a pair of boxer briefs and pajama bottoms, I went to find my wife. I didn't hear her in living room or kitchen, so I figured she'd be upstairs checking on Maisie. Just as I moved to ascend the stairs, I saw the light for the back patio was on. I found her sitting on the swing looking lost in thought. She only moved to snuggle into my side when I sat beside her. Not waiting to break her train of thought, I remained quiet.

"I'm so glad you're home," she finally said breaking the silence. I squeezed her tightly.

"I missed you. So did Maisie," I told her. "We had a great time together, but it's not the same without you."

"It's been the same for us when you leave for training exercises." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I think we're going to love it here."

"I'll love wherever you two are." She turned to smile at me.

"Come with me." She stood and held out her hand. "I want to show you something." Willing to follow her anywhere, I laced my fingers through hers and let her pull me inside. We paused long enough for me to lock up. When she pulled me towards the bedroom, I perked up. I was fully on board with her showing me whatever she was about to show me. "This way." I was confused when she turned the wrong direction and headed toward the office. "Go in." Why was she acting so strange?

I was confused when I stepped in to find the place fully decorated like a nursery. Maisie's crib that Jasper had made us was set up in the corner, and Bella's favorite rocker was opposite it. The walls were decorated with some of Maisie's old stuff, and a changing table was on the opposite wall. I knew we'd talked about this being a nursery when the time came, but I didn't realize Bella would want to get it ready immediately. With the clinic opening soon, I figured she's want to use this as an office until things settled down. I turned to her with what I'm sure was a confused smile on my face.

"Is this your way of saying you're ready to start trying for number two?" I asked her. My smile turned from confused to excited. "We can start trying right now. I'll take you across the hall this second." She snorted and rolled her eyes at me as she took a step forward, grabbed my hand, and placed it on her stomach.

"No," she said indulgently. "We don't need to start trying."

"Then what-" _Wait._ My breath hitched at the realization. "You're pregnant." Tears filled her eyes as a happy smile spread across her face. "You're pregnant; aren't you?" She nodded. Unable to contain myself, I whooped then crushed her into my as I spun her around. Her laughter filled the room.

"Put me down, you big oaf." I did as she asked worried I'd made her nauseous. Was she nauseous? Was she having morning sickness? Had she been to a doctor? How far along was she?

"Tell me everything. Tell me."

"I figured it out last week, and I went to a doctor to get confirmation on Monday. I'm about fourteen weeks along, and the baby is doing well." I moved my hands to cover my new baby. "I've been so busy and stressed lately, that I chalked it up to stress being the reason that I'd missed my period. I was wrong though. Dr. Jameson said since Maisie came so early, they are labeling this pregnancy as high-risk, but there's nothing to indicate anything is wrong. She just wants me to come in more often to be checked out. If this baby is anything like their sister, he or she will be here sometime after the new year." I kissed her soundly.

"I love you, Sweetheart." She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back.

"I love you too." She got a mischievous glint in her eye. "Now let's celebrate." She didn't have to tell me twice.

* * *

 **A/N 07/08/18: I really hope you enjoyed this glimpse into their future. Please let me know what you think. I'm working on outtakes, but I don't know when those will be posted. :) Hope to see you on my next project!**


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